Classic Homemade Lasagna Food

CLASSIC HOMEMADE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the meat in batches and brown well. Remove from the pot and set aside.
• In the same pot, add the onion, carrot, celery and fresh herbs. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until they are golden brown and starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
• Add the meat back into the pot with the stock, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Partially cover with a lid and reduce the heat. Allow to simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the sauce is rich and slightly reduced.
• While the bolognese cooks, make the bechamel sauce according to recipe instructions.
• To assemble the lasagna add a few spoons of bolognese sauce into the bottom of a deep casserole dish then add a layer of lasagna sheets. Add a few more spoons of bolognese then layer with the remaining lasagna sheets, bechamel sauce and grated cheese. Finishing with a layer of bechamel and cheese.
• Cover the lasagna loosely with foil and place in a preheated oven (180°C/350°F).
• Bake for 30-45 minutes until a knife can easily be inserted. Remove the foil and allow to bake for another 10 minutes to brown the top.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Heat olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and saute until pinkness is gone. Drain and discard excess fat. Make a space in the center of the pan and add tomato paste; stir the paste around the open space until it begins to brown, then stir in meat and onions.
• Drain tomatoes; pour the juice into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil the juice until syrupy. Process the tomatoes in a blender or with a stick blender until fairly smooth. Add tomatoes and boiled juice to drained beef and onion, along with wine, anchovy paste, basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend. Remove and discard bay leaves, and set sauce aside.
• Beat egg lightly. Add ricotta, basil and parmesan cheese and stir well to combine.
• Spray a 13x9x3 pan with non-stick cooking spray (13x9x2 will probably boil over!). Spread 1/3 cup of sauce across bottom of pan and top with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2-3/4 c sauce, 3/4 c ricotta, 1 c mozzarella and 1/4 c parmesan (in that order) across noodles. Repeat this a total of 3 times, using 9 noodles. Place the last 3 noodles on top. Top with remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Tent loosely with foil and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is beginning to brown. Let rest at room temperature at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

CLASSIC LASAGNE

Steps:

• First make the bechamel sauce. In a saucepan melt butter. Add flour, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the hot milk, and cook whisking occasionally for 3-5 minutes until thickened and lightly coating the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and set aside. For the meat sauce, in a skillet melt butter. Add onions, carrots, celery and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Then add the smoked ham and cook for another 5 minutes. Add ground beef and pork, and white wine, stir to combine and reduce 1 minute. Add plum tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x12x13-inch baking dish with butter. Spread a layer of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a baking dish. Then add 1 cup of the bechamel sauce-smoothing it over the meat sauce. Add 1/3 of the lasagne sheets. Continue with 3 more layers. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• In large heavy pan lightly brown beef and onion in oil.
• Add tomatoes, paste, water, parsley, salt, sugar, garlic, pepper, and oregano; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile cook lasagne as directed; drain.
• In 13x9x2" baking pan, spread about 1 cup sauce.
• Then alternate layers of lasagne, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesean cheese, ending with sauce, mozzarella and parmesean.
• Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling.
• Allow to stand for 15 minutes; cut in squares to serve.
• Makes 8 servings.
• I make this a lot and serve with Italian garlic bread and salad.
• It always gets a rave review, especially if the mozzarella strings with every bite.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and olive oil; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Cook the ground beef and sausage in a large pot over medium heat; drain. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic salt, oregano, thyme, basil, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
• Ladle enough of the meat sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Form a layer atop the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta cheese mixture and then ladle about 1/3 of the meat sauce over the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering twice more, topping with the remaining 1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven 90 minutes. Allow to sit 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC LASAGNE

Steps:

• To make the meat sauce, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook 750g lean beef mince in two batches for about 10 mins until browned all over.
• Finely chop 4 slices of prosciutto from a 90g pack, then stir through the meat mixture.
• Pour over 800g passata or half our basic tomato sauce recipe and 200ml hot beef stock. Add a little grated nutmeg, then season.
• Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the sauce looks rich.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan/160C/gas 4 and lightly oil an ovenproof dish (about 30 x 20cm).
• Spoon one third of the meat sauce into the dish, then cover with some fresh lasagne sheets from a 300g pack. Drizzle over roughly 130g ready-made or homemade white sauce.
• Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. Cover with the remaining 390g white sauce, making sure you can't see any pasta poking through.
• Scatter 125g torn mozzarella over the top.
• Arrange the rest of the prosciutto on top. Bake for 45 mins until the top is bubbling and lightly browned.

NEWBURG (CLASSIC SEAFOOD)

Steps:

• Cook the chosen protien with the butter for 3 minutes.
• Add sherry (and/or brandy).
• Cook 1 minute and add cream, salt, cayenne, nutmeg and egg yolks.
• Stir over a low heat until slightly thickened.
• Place protien on toast, points, puff or sliced french bread and pour sauce over top.
• Sprinkle cayenne and nutmeg on top and garnish with parsley.