Grandmas Nada Ricotta Cheesy Lasagna Food

THE BEST EVER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, fresh basil, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, cook bulk sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Add to sauce; simmer until mixture is thickened, about 1 hour longer., While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350°. Place sausage links on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly; slice into 1/4-in.-thick pieces., In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, dried basil and remaining sugar., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spread 2 cups sauce. Arrange 4 noodles over sauce; spread with a third of the ricotta mixture. Add 7 provolone slices, a third of the sliced sausage and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, using only 1 cup sauce per layer. Spread with 2 cups sauce (reserve remaining sauce for serving on the side), remaining 2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese (dish will be full)., Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until bubbly and deep golden brown, 60-65 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining meat sauce.

HOMEMADE LASAGNA WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large stainless steel bowl or floured workspace, stir together the flour and salt. Create a well in the center and add the eggs and olive oil. Gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using a fork or your fingers, eventually bringing the ingredients together to form a firm dough. You may need to add a few drops of water if the dough feels too dry.
• Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead the dough until it's smooth, 3-4 minutes. Try to refrain from adding extra flour when kneading as this will give your pasta a floury taste. Dribble a little olive oil over the dough and place in a plastic bag. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough rests, prepare the sauce. In a large saucepan, brown the sausage and burger. Add the garlic and onions and cook until they are tender, about 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with dried basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until thickened about 30-35 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, eggs, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the lasagna.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While the sauce cooks, continue with the pasta. Prepare a large workspace dusting it with flour. Divide the pasta into thirds, returning the extra dough to the bag until ready to use.
• Flatten one piece of dough with a rolling pin to match the size of your pasta roller. Feed the dough through the machine, using the first setting of your machine. Pass the pasta through once, and then fold it into thirds and pass it through again. After that, continue feeding the pasta sheet through the machine at each level (3, 4, 5...) until you reach the desired thickness. For lasagna, I go to 6. Cut this strip of pasta in half, which should measure about 10-11 inches after it has been cut.
• Place each of the thin sheets of pasta on the floured workspace, without touching. Repeat with the remaining dough for a total of six sheets of pasta. Cut each of these sheets in half lengthwise to form narrow strips, for a total of 12.
• Next prepare three baking sheets lined with damp kitchen towels. Bring a large pot of water to boil adding 2 teaspoons salt. Set up a large roasting pan filled with ice water next to the boiling pasta water. Cook the strips of pasta, a few at a time for just a little bit, 1-2 minutes once they return to a boil. Remove from boiling water and slip them into the ice water to cool. Then place them on the damp kitchen towels. Repeat until all of the pasta strips have been cooked.
• Prepare a 12x16 inch lasagna pan by spreading olive oil along the bottom and sides. To assemble the lasagna, spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of the pan. Place three strips over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spread another cup of sauce over the pasta and layer with three more strips. (You have now used 6 of your pasta strips and two cups of your sauce.)
• Next, spread 1 cup sauce, half of the filling, and half of the sliced mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of pasta, 1 cup sauce, the remaining filling, and the remaining slices of mozzarella.
• Top with final three strips of pasta. Pour remaining sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with 1 cup grated Parmesan.
• Tent the lasagna with foil, making sure it doesn't touch the top and bake until bubbly, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes until the top is golden and crusty. Allow to rest for 10-12 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
• Serve with your favorite bread and a salad. Serves 8-10.

GRANDMA'S NADA RICOTTA CHEESY LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare lasagna pasta as per directions, al dente. I add oil to my water when boiling to prevent noodles from sticking and tearing. drain well. **NOTE: After I drain my noodles, I run them through my fingers to remove excess water. Then, to keep noodles from sticking and tearing while waiting to assemble lasagna. Spray the rim of empty pot you cooked your pasta in with non-stick cooking spray and hang noodles over edge of pot until ready to assemble. Keeps noodles flat, prevents them from folding in on themselves, sticking, and tearing.
• 2. In a 3 quart dutch oven, add EVOO, medium heat. Add meat, peppers, onions, & Italian seasoning. Cook until meat is browned through. Drain excess fat from meat. (I use a fine strainer) & Return meat back to pan.
• 3. Add 8oz pasta sauce to meat & mix well. Cook over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sauce is heated. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 4. To arrange Lasagna:
• 5. Using a lasagna pan, put a thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan, just enough to cover the bottom. Arrange noodles on top of sauce, over-lapping just a bit.
• 6. Next, using half of meat mixture, spread evenly over noodles. Sometimes I add sliced pepperoni to this step as well for an added fun flavor. Or your favorite vegetable slices!
• 7. Add sliced cheese, 1/4 pound of each. Alternate the layering to allow for a taste of each cheese with each bite of lasagna. I tear the cheese slices up and lay alternating the different flavors.
• 8. Follow up with a cup (8oz) of sauce. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
• 9. Repeat steps for another layer of each noodles, meat mixture, cheese, sauce.
• 10. To complete, top with one more layer of noodles and sauce. Make sure your top layer of noodles are covered well with sauce to prevent them from drying out.
• 11. Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Add one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to top and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
• 12. A nice crisp salad with Italian Dressing, Fresh Italian bread, and fresh corn shaved from the cob compliment this main dish. As always, you can make it vegetarian by omitting the meat mixture. I posted pictures of both, because I Always make a vegetarian version when I make this dish. I'll even add cut up zucchini and or eggplant (sauteed in butter with peppers and onions and Italian seasoning) in place of the meat for a tasty Vegetable lasagna. It's a wonderfully cheesy lasagna full of flavor! I hope you enjoy!

CLASSIC CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley and egg until blended.
• Spread 3/4 cup pasta sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers of sauce, noodles and ricotta mixture twice; cover with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake 45 min. or until heated through. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.