Zesty Lasagna Food

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

SPICY SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by 13-inch baking dish.
• Melt the butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil while stirring. Add the garlic, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to cook, whisking occasionally until thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and lay out on a cutting board so they don't stick to each other.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is dry. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
• Toss the mozzarella and Parmesan together in a small bowl. Remove the garlic from the cream sauce. Cover the bottom of the prepared dish with 3 noodles. Top with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture, 3/4 cup marinara, 1/2 cup cream sauce and 1/3 of the sausage mixture. Repeat the layers until all the noodles have been used. Top the final sausage layer with the remaining cream sauce, marinara and cheese, making sure the edges of the noodles are covered. Bake until bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with more basil if using.
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SPICY ONE-SKILLET LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a 12-inch high-sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned, about 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until translucent and slightly fragrant, another 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and red pepper flakes and cook for additional 2 minutes to toast. Stir in the broccoli rabe and salt; cook until the rabe is wilted, 2 minutes. Remove the mixture to a medium bowl and return the pan to the stove over low heat.
• Spoon a small amount of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the skillet. Mix the remaining marinara with the sausage mixture in the bowl. Layer half of the lasagna noodles on top of the marinara, breaking them up as needed to fit the pan. Cover with half of the sausage mixture. Add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan and half the mozzarella. Layer with the remaining noodles. Cover with the remaining sausage mixture and top with the rest of the Parmesan and mozzarella and the Gruyere.
• Bake until bubbly and golden on top, about 40 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

ZESTY LASAGNA (SOUTHERN LIVING)

Steps:

• Brown ground beef and garlic in a heavy skillet over medium heat until meat is browned, stirring to crumble meat, drain.
• Stir in the tomato paste, water, mushrooms, bay leaves, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and oregano.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the bay leaves.
• Cook noodles according to package directions and drain.
• Combine cottage cheese and sour cream in a medium bowl; stir well.
• Layer half each of noodles, meat sauce, and cottage cheese mixture in a greased 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layers of noodles, meat sauce and cottage cheese mixture.
• Cover and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
• Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

ZESTY LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In large, heavy, nonstick pot brown ground beef, then drain it in colander and rinse off the fat with hot water. Return it to the pot.
• Grind Polish sausage in food processor, add it to the skillet with the beef.
• Stir in the tomato puree, spaghetti sauce mix, and the salt. Let simmer while you --
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, separate and lay on wax paper.
• In separate bowl combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese. (Reserve 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.).
• Spray a large jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
• In the jellyroll pan, begin layering the ingredients with noodles, then meat sauce, then cheese mixture until you've used all the ingredients.
• Be sure to end the layering with meat layer on top.
• Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup of mazzarella cheese.
• Cover loosely with foil, do not let it rest on the cheese.
• Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

QUICK'N ZESTY LASAGNA SKILLET

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown meat with garlic, onion and bell pepper over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain if you need.
• Add spaghetti sauce, water and dressing. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in noodles, pushing them down and submerging them in the sauce. Bring back up to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 15-20 minutes, or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Fold in ricotta and mozzarella. Let cheeses melt and then SERVE!
• ***I have now made some changes to this delicious recipe over the years -- I normally use half a pound of ground beef and half a pound of hot Italian sausage. I've actually totally eliminated the ricotta and just add dollops of a garlic and herb cream cheese spread over the top, then kind of swirl it in lightly so it stays creamy. Then I top the skillet at the very end with slices of fresh mozzarella instead of the shredded stuff in a bag and a fresh basil chiffonade. I cover it with a lid for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

ZESTY BAKED LASAGNE

Steps:

• In a large skillet brown the ground beef in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in pasta sauce; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Cheese filling: Mix together the cottage cheese, parsley, and mozarella cheese.
• Cook pasta in 6 quarts of water for 10 minutes. Do not over cook.
• Lightly grease a large baking pan(13x9) and spoon in enough meat sauce mixture to cover the bottom. Layer with lasagne. Spread part of the cheese filling over pasta. Repeat until lasagne is gone ending with sauce mix. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 3 inch squares.
• Note: lasagne can be made the day before. Refrigerate. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.

SPICY LASAGNA

Steps:

• In skillet cook sausage, onion, celery and carrot until meat is lightly browned.
• Drain off excess fat and stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, oregano and first 1/4 tsp pepper.
• Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Cook lasagna according to package directions and drain well.
• In a small bowl combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley and the remaining pepper.
• Place half the noodles in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish.
• Spread with half the cheese filling and half the meat sauce. Top with half the mozzarella.
• Repeat layer.
• Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

GORDO'S BEST OF THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• Cook and stir sausage, beef, onion, and garlic in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until browned. Stir tomato basil sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 3/4 cup parsley, Italian seasoning, sugar, sea salt, and pepper into sausage mixture. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Stir ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, eggs, and remaining 1/4 cup parsley together in a large bowl until smooth.
• Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover sauce with a layer of lasagna noodles and spread the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the ricotta and a layer of noodles over the tomato sauce. Repeat the layering procedure 1 more time. Spread remaining sauce over the final layer of noodles and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake lasagna in the preheated oven until hot throughout and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake until cheese is golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.