Fraternal Lasagna Food

LASAGNA (TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot, put the olive oil, garlic and parsley over medium high heat. When the garlic begins to brown, increase the heat and add the ground beef. Break up the beef, but keep it rather chunky. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp of salt.
• When the beef is beginning to dry up, add the tomatoes and stir well. Add more salt, then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about an hour, stirring from time to time. Taste for salt and add pepper.
• When the sauce is ready, add the torn basil leaves. Remove about a cup (8 oz) of plain sauce (leave the ground beef in the pot and save for the top layer). Refrigerate the meat sauce when cool, or set aside if using right away.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot then add the flour. Keep stirring to cook the flour for at least 5 minutes, but don't let it brown. Pour in a little of the milk, and stir quickly to incorporate.
• Continue stirring and adding milk a little at a time. Once all the milk is mixed into the flour and butter mixture, add more.
• Add more milk each time as the composition gets more sauce-like.
• When all the milk has been added, season with about 1/2 tsp salt, a dash of nutmeg and about 1/4 tsp white pepper. Taste and adjust as needed. Keep a lid on the sauce if not using right away.
• Boil the noodles in plenty of salted water, making sure to keep moving them so they don't stick together. Remove the noodles from the heat 5 minutes BEFORE the instructed time on the box.
• Reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain most of the water and then fill the pot with cold water just to cover the noodles. This will stop the pasta from cooking further.
• Put a thin layer of sauce (no meat) on the very bottom of the 9x13 pan.
• Add three pieces of lasagna lengthwise, then top generously with a quarter of the bechamel sauce.
• Next, dollop on the meat sauce, but don't add so much that the lasagna will only be sauce at the end.
• Sprinkle on about a quarter of the mozzarella.
• Then top with more lasagna sheets, however, this time, cut them to 9" strips so that you can place them in the opposite direction. This gives the lasagna structure so that it can hold together when cut. Cut the pieces so that it covers the bottom layer without leaving too much space.
• Repeat with the bechamel, meat sauce and mozzarella another three times so that there are 5 layers of pasta and 4 layers of filling.
• You may or may not have leftover meat sauce, depending on how much sauce you added. However, if you do use it all, take some of the reserved pasta water (about a cup) and rinse the pot with it and add it to the lasagna before the top layer goes on.
• Alternatively, just pour the water directly onto the lasagna. We didn't fully cook the pasta, so it will absorb more liquid as it cooks in the oven.
• The top of the lasagna will have the strips lengthwise, so I usually pull four (I overlap the top layer) of the best looking pieces (which aren't broken or cut) and save them for the top.
• Lastly, sprinkle some grated Parmesan on top of the lasagna before baking.
• Cover with foil (but make sure the foil doesn't touch the lasagna as tomatoes will eat through the foil) and put in a preheated 400 F (200 C) degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how crispy you want the top.
• The edges will be bubbly when you remove it from the oven, so be careful. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting.

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.

TRADITIONAL LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
• Add the next seven ingredients.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl, combine the eggs, parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta and parmesan.
• Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
• Layer with 3 noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of mozzarella, three noodles, 2 cups of meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup of mozzarella.
• Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full).
• Cover and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.
• Uncover; bake 20 minutes longer.
• Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

FRATERNAL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage, veal, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.
• Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley and eggs.
• Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the hamburger, sausage and garlic until brown. Drain off the excess fat. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir together well. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the olive oil and a dash of salt. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and lay them flat on a piece of aluminium foil to keep their shape.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grate the mozzarella cheese and set aside.
• Cut the basil into a chiffonade by stacking the leaves on top of one another, rolling them tightly and then cutting across. Finely chop the parsley. Add half the herbs to the meat mixture and stir together. In a medium bowl, combine the other half of the herbs, the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the eggs, and stir together well.
• Now let's assemble the lasagna! Begin by laying 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a deep rectangular baking pan; the noodles should slightly overlap. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture onto the noodles; spread to distribute evenly. Sprinkle half the mozzarella on top of the cottage cheese mixture. Spoon just under half the meat mixture on top of the mozzarella, and spread evenly, being careful not to disrupt the layers below. Now repeat the process, beginning with a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by the cottage cheese mixture, followed by the mozzarella and ending with a thick layer of the meat mixture.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over the top. Bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

THE ULTIMATE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.
• Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, an oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add the heavy cream and the cinnamon.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

CROWD-SOURCED MEAT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Rub the bottom and sides of a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish (about 5 quarts) with olive oil. Set aside.
• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beef and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until everything is well coated and the tomato paste is a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until almost dry. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the sauce reduces slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp.
• Meanwhile, cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until just al dente and pliable, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a colander; run cool water over the noodles and separate them.
• Make the filling: Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, 2/3 cup Parmesan, the parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir until combined.
• Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of sauce (about 1 cup) in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, laying them lengthwise. Top the noodles with one-quarter of the remaining sauce (about 2 cups). Dollop one-third of the ricotta mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) on top and spread in an even layer. Top with 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Repeat these layers two more times (noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, mozzarella and parmesan). For the last layer, add the remaining 3 noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Cover the baking dish with foil, sealing the edges (do not press the foil into the cheese). Bake until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown, 20 to 30 more minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.