Guest Cook: Noah's Floorzagna

In light of this, and with all due respect to Noah's Grandma Ruth, it's fair to say this is more of a mid-century recipe: lots of pasta, lots of cheese. But when your heart is crushed, your bank account is overdrawn, or you've just stumbled home from a drink-a-thon, a meal that hits your stomach like a rock is in order. In those moments, this is the lasagna you want.

Noah Starr (weirdly, his real name) is a very busy creative type, constantly dashing off to meetings with bigwigs. When you're always running around and eating beef chow fun on the fly, you can't be expected to keep lots of fresh ingredients on hand. This is one of those perfect, low maintenance suppers. Mozzarella and ricotta will be fine long-term dwellers in the refrigerator, and from there, all you need is an egg (and that you can borrow from your neighbor, if need be) and some odds and ends from your pantry.

This is also a great make-ahead recipe perfect for entertaining a crowd (Noah makes it for his sister and brother-in-law). Not only could you assemble the whole thing ahead of time and let it hang out in your fridge while you make cream puffs or daydream about Maureen Dowd, you could even bake it the day before and reheat. Like soup and tired worker bees, lasagna is better after a day of sitting. Throw all this advice to the wind, and you are free to start your party swishing your hips to the Supremes and serving up crab cakes. One hour and fifteen minutes later the lasagna comes out of the oven piping hot, no fussing necessary.

A word of caution: if you want to lighten this up a bit to prevent your guests from conking out before the homemade limoncello, I'd hold back a little on the mozzarella, add a bit more sauce or fresh tomatoes, and throw in another pound of spinach or sliced zucchini. Mixing in some pesto with the ricotta is also delish. Your guests will be so jazzed, don't be surprised if your party is a dead ringer for the one in La Dolce Vita, stripping optional.

Noah's Floorzagna

1 lb lasagna noodles
1 jar tomato sauce
1 lb ricotta or cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
up to 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
1 lb frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup water
3/4 tsp oregano
dash nutmeg
2 tbs wheat germ (we didn't use this cause I couldn't find it at the grocery store!)

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, mozzerella (reserve some for the top), egg, spinach, salt, pepper, oregano, nutmeg, and wheat germ.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer 1/2 cup sauce, 1/3 noodles, and half the cheese mixture. Then repeat and top with noodles. Finish with remaining sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Pour water around edges, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Feeds an army!