This recipe was given to me when we lived in Germany over 40 years ago and it has been a family favorite ever since. Enjoy.
Note: This recipe makes a lot of lasagna. I often make three of those 8 x 8 disposable aluminum pans full, bake as usual and then cover with aluminum foil and freeze. They make a great gift to someone who needs a meal dropped off. or for that afternoon when you want to put your feet up and just smell the fragrance of a hearty meal cooking.
OR - This recipe makes a very full 9 x 13 casserole
#1 Lasagna noodle layer
Cook one box of lasagna noodles according to box instructions. After noodles are tender cool in a cold water bath and set aside.
#2 Soft cheese layer, mix together and set aside.
- 2 cups Ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup cream
- 2 eggs - slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon coarsly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup finely minced parsley (optional)
- 8 oz. grated or flaked Parmesan cheese
- 1 pkg. Italian 3 Cheese shreds (I like Sargento brand)
- Note: You can never have too much cheese, so go for it!)
Brown meatsthoroughly, drain fat, and add rest of ingredients, simmer 30 minutes.
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 lb. ground sirloin
- 1 lb. Italian sausage (Bob Evans or Jimmy Dean in the tube)
- 1 clove garlic minced (or more to taste, I usually need more.)
- 1/4 cup finely minced basil or 2 T. dried basil (or more to taste)
- 1 T. oregeno or more to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 T coarse black pepper
- 1 large can tomato sauce
- 2 12 oz. cans tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes (optional, my husband does not like tomato bits.)
- Optional: diced up sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
#4 Mozzarella layer
- Approximately 15 balls of fresh baby mozzarella cheese, sliced into four parts each. ( The fresh mozzarella cheese makes a huge difference as compared to the sliced mozzarella you buy in plastic wrap.)
- Slightly butter pan
- Then lay down layer #1,
- Followed by a layer of #2,
- Followed by #3, meat sauce. (You could add another layer of noodles at this point depending on how much pasta you want in the dish and how far you want to stretch it.)
- Next, tajke your sliced baby mozzarella and dot the top with it.
- REPEAT all four layers.
Note, you will end with mozzarella and I think this often gets overcooked if left on top for the whol cooking time. I usually add the last layer of mozzarella about 20 minutes before the end of baking.- Another note,: If you are going to cover this with aluminum foil at the end of baking the cheese will stick, so I usually put the mozzarella under a final thin layer of meat sauce. I don't want to loose any of that good cheese!
Always bake the Lasagna and then determine what amount you want to freeze. If you freeze a batch and then you want to serve it later you can take it directly from the freezer and place it in a 350 oven for about two hours. This lasagna was fully cooked before you froozen it so basically you are just heating it up.
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