Making lasagna is such a fun culinary adventure that involves layering pasta with a rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel or ricotta cheese mixture, and loads of melty mozzarella cheese. Let me share with you a classic recipe that’ll guide you through the process:
Ingredients:
For the Meat Sauce:
- 500 Gm ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 can (750 Gm) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (175 Gm each) tomato paste
- 1 can (500 Gm) tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp dried basil leaves
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Ricotta Mixture:
- 150 Gm ricotta cheese
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Layers:
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 500 Gm shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparing the Meat Sauce:
- Heat up a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the ground beef or Italian sausage until it’s nicely browned. Make sure to drain off any excess fat.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the meat and cook until they become tender and fragrant.
- Now, it’s time to bring in the tomato party! Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. If you like a touch of sweetness, you can mix in some sugar. Add in the basil, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon of salt, black pepper, and parsley. Let it simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour, giving it a stir every now and then.
Preparing the Ricotta Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, let’s combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, parsley, and salt. Give it a good mix until everything is well incorporated.
Preparing the Noodles:
- Grab a big pot and fill it with lightly salted water. Bring it to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, add in the lasagna noodles and cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes. Once they’re al dente, drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water. Set them aside for now.
Assembling the Lasagna:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) because it’s showtime!
- Start by spreading 1 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. This will create a tasty foundation for your lasagna masterpiece.
- Lay 4 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Now, spoon over 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and spread it evenly. Next up, place 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices on top. To keep things saucy, spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the cheese and sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top.
- Repeat these layers twice more, and for the grand finale, top it all off with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- To keep things from sticking, cover the dish with foil. You can either spray the foil with cooking spray or make sure it
