Americas Test Kitchen Simple Cheese Lasagna Food

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SIMPLE CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the basil, egg, salt, and pepper until well-combined.
• Spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Place 3 of the noodles on top of the sauce and drop 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture down the center of each noodle, then spread it to an even thickness.
• Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the mozzarella.
• Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the sauce evenly over the cheese. Repeat this layering 2 more times.
• For the final layer, place the 3 remaining noodles on top.
• Spread the remaining 1 1/4 cups sauce over the noodles.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and then the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Spray a large sheet of foil lightly with vegetable oil spray and cover the lasagna. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

SKILLET LASAGNA

Steps:

• Pour the tomatoes with their juices into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup.
• Add water until the mixture measures 1 quart.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add the onion, red bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
• Scatter the pasta broken into 2" lengths over the meat but do not stir.
• Pour the diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato sauce over the pasta.
• Cover and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Dot with heaping tablespoons of the ricotta, cover, and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the basil and the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and serve.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE FOR LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the oregano, and red pepper flakes.
• Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

CHEESE AND TOMATO LASAGNA

Steps:

• FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients in bowl until well combined; set aside.
• FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, sugar, pepper flakes, oregano and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, cheese and tomato paste; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• FOR THE LASAGNA: While sauce simmers, lay noodles in 9 by 13-inch baking dish and cover with boiling water. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, separating noodles with tip of paring knife to prevent sticking. Place dish in sink, pour off water and run cold water over noodles. Pat noodles dry with clean dish towel; dry dish. Cut two noodles in half crosswise (short side).
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce in bottom of dish. Lay 3 noodles lengthwise in dish with ends touching 1 short side of the pan, leaving space on opposite short side. Lay 1 half noodle crosswise in empty space to create even layer of noodles. Spread half of cheese sauce over noodles, followed by 1/2 cup fontina. Repeat layering of noodles, alternating which short side gets half noodle (alternating sides will prevent lasagna from buckling). Spread 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce over second layer of noodles, followed by 1/2 cup fontina. Create third layer using 3 1/2 noodles (reversing arrangement again), remaining cheese sauce, and 1/2 cup fontina.
• Lay remaining 3 1/2 noodles over cheese sauce. Spread remaining tomato sauce over noodles. Toss remaining 1/2 cup fontina with 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch, then sprinkle over tomato sauce, followed by Pecorino.
• Spray sheet of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray and cover lasagna. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
• Remove foil from lasagna, return to oven, and continue to bake until top is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let lasagna cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil, cut into pieces, and serve.

SKILLET LASAGNA

Steps:

• Pour the tomatoes with their juice into a quart measuring cup. Add enough water to the tomatoes to measure 4 cups.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the meatloaf mix and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the noodle pieces evenly over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. (The sauce should look watery after 15 minutes of cooking. If dry, add up to 1/4 cup additional water to loosen the sauce.).
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles. Cover the skillet and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the extra Parmesan separately.