Italian-American Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Ricotta
This recipe is for how to make Italian-American Lasagna. This is the one that many Americans know and love. There are a couple of tricks to making a perfect lasagna that's not runny and easy to assemble. This classic lasagna recipe with meat sauce is made with a hearty ragu, ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Make sure to let the lasagna rest for at least 30 minutes prior to eating. Enjoy!
Use this MEAT SAUCE RECIPE:
MEAT SAUCE SERIES:
INGREDIENTS:
-4-5 cups meat sauce
-1 pound lasagna noodles - Dececco brand works well
-1 pound mozzarella cheese - sliced
-1 cup Pecorino Romano - grated
For the ricotta mixture:
-1 pound ricotta - drained overnight or for at least 2-3 hours
-1/4 cup parsley - minced
-1/4 cup basil - minced
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and a touch of olive oil to it. Boil the lasagna noodles (work in batches) to very al dente (about 4-5 minutes). Scoop out sheets with a mesh strainer or pasta spider and shock in cold water. Lay flat the lasagna noodles on parchment paper or clean dish towels.
2. In a 9 by 13 (or 10 by 15) baking dish place a drop of olive oil and wipe the bottom and sides. Next add a thick layer of meat sauce, completely coating the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Place 6 lasagna noodles on the first level (they should slightly overlap). Spread a thick layer of the ricotta mixture onto the noodles, then layer 1/3 of the mozzarella, another thick layer of meat sauce, and finally 1/3 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
4. Add 2 more layers to the lasagna. On the top layer just add the sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano.
5. Cover the lasagna with a lightly oiled tin foil cover. An even better way to cover the lasagna is to place parchment paper on top of it, then the foil.
6. Bake the lasagna covered at 375f for 45 minutes in the middle of the oven. Remove foil after 45 minutes and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes more until the side noodles are crispy and the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!
NOTE: Let the lasagna rest at least 30 minutes before eating. This will help it settle and not be runny.
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Learn how to make an easy lasagna recipe that is perfect for a Sunday Night Dinner. Makes enough lasagna to feed 10-12 people or makes for great leftovers too.
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BETH’S LASAGNA RECIPE
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS:
For Meat Sauce:
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 cup (240 ml) yellow onion, diced
½ cup (120 ml) carrots, diced
1/3 cup (80 ml) celery, diced
salt and pepper to taste
½ pound (230 g) ground beef
½ pound (230 g) Italian pork sausage
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
freshly cracked pepper to taste
2 tsp (10 ml) Italian Seasoning
¼ tsp (1.25ml) fennel seed
1 can/15 oz (445 ml) diced tomatoes
1 can/15 oz (445 ml) tomato sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste
1 cup (240 ml) white wine or chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic
For Béchamel Sauce:
3 tbsp (32 g) unsalted butter
3 tbsp (32 g) flour
3 cups (700 ml) milk
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh thyme, minced
2 cloves garlic
2 ½ cups (595 ml) Italian Blend Cheese, Shredded
1 package Fresh Lasagna noodles (12 noodles total to make 3 layers)
METHOD:
In a large sauce pot heat olive oil and sauté onion, carrots and celery for 3-5 mins until fragrant and translucent.
Add beef, sausage, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and fennel seeds and brown meat until cooked through completely. Add wine or broth and allow to simmer until reduced by 1/3.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, stir to combine with meat and veggies. Add garlic.
Simmer meat sauce for 30 mins. Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter, once foamy add the flour. Whisk until it forms into a paste, cook by whisking for 1 minute. Then slowly add the milk, whisking all the while until a creamy sauce develops. Cook this mixture, until a soft boil and sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
Add salt, nutmeg, thyme, and garlic. Stir to combine and set aside.
Then take out a 9x13 oven-safe casserole dish that has been lightly greased. Add 1 ladle of béchamel sauce in the bottom, and smooth to cover bottom of the dish.
Then place a layer of noodles, 4 sheets touching each other. And add 1 ladle of meat sauce for each noodle, top with ¼ cup of Béchamel Sauce for each quadrant, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese on top.
Peat this process 2 more times creating 3 layers. But on last layer add a full cup of the cheese. A little cracked pepper and a sprinkle of the Italian seasoning.
Bake at 325F for 45-55 mins until cheese is golden brown. Slice into squares and pair with a tossed green salad.
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How To Make The Ultimate Lasagna
It's cheesy, comforting, and indulgent. A truly great lasagna can turn a bad day into a really good one! Check out how we made The Ultimate Lasagna with not one, not two, but FOUR secret ingredients!
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00:00 Intro
00:22 The Red Sauce
03:56 The Béchamel Sauce
04:55 Noodles
05:32 Assemble
06:42 Bake
06:52 Outro
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Italian Grandma Makes Finocchio with Linguine (Fennel Fronds)
FINOCCHIO WITH LINGUINE
Finocchio
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
2 ounces Flat Anchovies in Olive Oil, cut/chopped
1 cup 1 pound Linguine
Tomato/Marinara Sauce (optional)
Red Hot Pepper Flakes, to taste (optional)
Salt & Black Pepper
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Gina Petitti was born in 1935 in Faeto, Italy. It is in the province of Foggia in the Puglia region of southeast Italy. Her family ran a farm in Italy and she met her husband, Vito, in the same town. In 1970 Gina, Vito, and her 4 children immigrated to America. Gina’s husband passed away in 2012, but she is surrounded by a large family, which includes 9 grandchildren, and lives 5 minutes away from her eldest daughter in New Jersey. Gina enjoys making food for her family in the same old fashion ways as she was taught by her mother and grandmother in Italy, and also new things she has subsequently learned from family and friends in America. She also enjoys gardening, and being an active member of her local Church.
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How to Make a Classic Three Cheese Lasagna
Celebrate National Lasagna Day! Classic Three Cheese Lasagna is the best Italian comfort dish to make at home. All the ooey, gooey melty strings of cheese in your mouth screams comfort food. Classic homemade Cheese Lasagna is filled with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses making it the perfect and easy weeknight dinner. Simple to put together. Make one to bake and the second to freeze for another night. The Tomato Sauce is ridiculously easy to make as well. Also, check the lasagna video for quick tips on how this all comes together.
Classic Three Cheese Lasagna
1 Box Lasagna Noodles
Parmesan Cheese, as desired amount
Mozzarella, shredded, as desired amount
Ricotta Filling
15 oz Ricotta, I prefer whole milk
¼ Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons Parsley, finely chopped
Tomato Sauce
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes plus ¼ cup water to rinse out can/jar
2 Garlic cloves
1 Teaspoon each of Onion Powder, Oregano and Salt
½ Teaspoon Pepper
Preheat oven 400 degrees
1. Prepare lasagna noodles. They can either be cooked traditionally in a pot of hot water or you can use my quick tip. Quick Tip: In a shallow baking dish, place Lasagna noodles and pour over boiling hot water, enough to cover the noodles and let sit for 30 minutes to soften. Note: These noodles are not the parboiled type noodles.
2. In a large bowl, add all the components of the Ricotta filling and blend well until incorporated.
3. In a blender, add all the components of the Tomato Sauce and blend well pureed.
Assemble (The number of noodles and filling will vary depending on the size and depth of the baking dish used for this recipe.)
1. In a baking dish, add enough sauce to coat the bottom. Add the first layer of lasagna noodles.
2. Evenly add a thin layer of Tomato Sauce.
3. Dollop spoonful’s of Ricotta Mixture across the first layer.
4. Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan Cheese.
5. Add a layer of Mozzarella Cheese.
6. At this point, the second layer of Lasagna Noodles will be placed. This layer will place noodles in the opposite direction of the first layer.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 5.
8. If the baking dish used is deep, a third payer can be created. For this layer, place the noodles in the same direction as the first layer.
9. Top the final layer with Tomato Sauce only.
10. Before placing the lasagna in the oven, have a piece of aluminum foil ready that has been sprayed with cooking spray. This will prevent the noodles from sticking to the foil. Place the side with the cooking spray on top of the noodles. Seal the foil around the baking dish and place in the oven.
11. The cooking time will vary depending on the depth of the lasagna. Generally, 50 - 60 minutes for a 2-layer lasagna and 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes for a deep dish lasagna.
12. You will know when the lasagna is ready when it is bubbly around the edges. At this point, remove foil from baking dish, sprinkle with more mozzarella and parmesan cheese and place back in the oven long enough to melt the mozzarella cheese.
13. Finally, remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes for the lasagna to set.
Note: any ingredients that are leftover can make a second lasagna dish which is perfect for freezing for dinner another night.
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