Sweet Heat Pizza Lasagna Crunch Pockets

Ingredients

Pockets

• 16 dry lasagna noodles, cooked until flexible (2 noodles per pocket)
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
• 24 pepperoni slices
• 1½ cups marinara or pizza sauce
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2–3 tbsp hot honey
• Nonstick spray for the air-fryer basket or baking sheet
• ¼ tsp red-pepper flakes and 8 small fresh basil leaves, optional
• Water for boiling the noodles and 1 tsp kosher salt for that water
• 2 tbsp extra grated Parmesan, optional finish

Step by step

1. Cook all 16 lasagna noodles in the measured salted water until flexible but not mushy, following the package timing. Drain and lay flat on a lightly sprayed tray.
2. Mix ricotta with ½ cup mozzarella, the original ¼ cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Warm the sauce separately. Heat the oven to 425°F or the air fryer to 375°F.
3. For each of eight pockets, cross two noodles in a plus shape. Put one-eighth of the ricotta mixture in the middle, add three pepperoni slices, 1 tbsp sauce, and one-eighth of the remaining mozzarella. Fold the four noodle ends over the filling, overlapping firmly. These are folded pasta parcels; do not try to pinch pasta into a sealed dough seam.
4. Brush all eight pockets with the measured melted butter and set seam-side down on a sprayed tray or basket. Air-fry for 10–13 minutes or bake for 15–18 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the filling reaches 165°F. Cook in batches with space around the pockets.
5. Serve with the remaining warm marinara, divide the hot honey over the pockets, and add the optional extra Parmesan, red-pepper flakes, and basil. Rest 2 minutes before cutting for the cheese pull.

← Back to Food Lab