Lasagna A La Amanda Recipes

SEVEN LAYER LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cut each of the zucchini in half crosswise and then slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a pinch of salt, and spread on a baking sheet. Cut the portabellas into 1/4-inch strips, and then toss in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt and place on a separate baking sheet. Roast for 7 to 8 minutes, then flip and roast until tender and starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. The portabellas may take a few minutes longer than the zucchini. Cool the vegetables. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• While the vegetables roast, mix 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the pepper, nutmeg, ricotta, eggs, basil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until well combined.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the marinara in the bottom of a baking dish and top with an even layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (about 5). Top the noodles with 1 1/2 cups of the ricotta mixture, spreading as evenly as possible. Evenly distribute half of the roasted veggies over the ricotta and top with 2 cups of the spinach. Add another 1 1/2 cups of marinara and another layer of noodles. Repeat with another 1 1/2 cups ricotta, the other half of the roasted vegetables, half of the mozzarella slices, the remaining 2 cups spinach, 1 1/2 cups of marinara, and then another layer of noodles. For the final layer, spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups ricotta, another layer of noodles, 1 1/2 cups of marinara, the remaining mozzarella slices, and then top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
• Bake for 1 hour covered with foil. Then remove the foil and bake until bubbly and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rest the lasagna 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

AMANDA'S "ALMOST FAMOUS" LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute or sauce pan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and spread it around the bottom of the, allowing it to brown before turning with a spoon. If it's easier, break up the sausage with a potato masher while it is in the pan to form bit-sized pieces. Continue to cook and stir until it is just cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
• Add all of the tomato sauce except a few tablespoons. (The reserved sauce will coat the bottom of the lasagna pan.) Stir to combine the sausage with the tomato sauce, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the flavors meld. Taste, adding salt if necessary. (Many times the sausage has plenty of seasoning already.)
• While the sauce simmers, make the cheese filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine three cups of the mozzarella with the ricotta and 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste, adding a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper if needed.
• Add the egg to the mixture and stir to incorporate.
• Place the remaining cup of mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan in a small bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
• To build the lasagna, spread the reserved tablespoons of tomato sauce across the bottom of a 8 X 12 or 9 X 13 baking dish. Place 4 of the lasagna noodles crosswise, allowing them to overlap a bit if necessary. (If the noodles you are using cover the length of the pan, place 3 of the noodles lengthwise to create the first layer.)
• Drop ½ of the ricotta cheese mixture in spoonfuls across the noodles. Spread it out evenly with a spatula or even use your hands if necessary to create a fairly even layer. Pour 1/3 of the meat sauce over the cheese and spread with a spatula to cover.
• Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and ⅓ of the meat sauce.
• Add the final layer of noodles, then the remaining sauce, ensuring the noodles are totally covered with the sauce.
• Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the entire lasagna.
• Cover the pan tightly with a piece of aluminum foil. Place it on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Lift a corner of the foil and insert a knife in the lasagna. If it easily punctures the noodles, remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes until bubbly. If not, cover it again and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
• Allow the lasagna to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.

LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter the lasagne pan well and add a very thin layer of meat sauce.
• Add the first layer of lasagne noodles and in order, cover with meat sauce, about 3 ladles besciamella, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Repeat the same process until you reach the top of the dish. Make sure the lasagne noodles are soaking into the sauce.
• When done layering the ingredients, top the lasagne with a final ladle of meat sauce and some besciamella, add a few thin slices of butter and finish with some grated Parmesan.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.
• Heat a broiler. When your fantastic lasagne alla bolognese is cooked, give it a nice crisp top by broiling it for about 5 minutes.
• Always serve this dish with extra-virgin olive oil and some grated parmesan, to taste.
• Bolognese Sauce: Saute the onion, carrots, and celery in about 5 tablespoons olive oil in a large rondeau until soft. Add the pancetta to the soffritto (onion mixture). Cook on a medium-high flame for about 7 to 10 minutes, then add the meat; break it up well with a wooden spoon. You can jack up the heat a bit, and keep stirring until all the ground meat is browned. Add the red pepper flakes and the parsley and cook for just 1 minute. Add the wine now and cook until the alcohol is completely evaporated, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Pulse the tomatoes smooth in a food processor and add them to the meat, season generously with salt and pepper, lower the flame to medium and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish the sauce by adding the whole milk, stir well and set aside, to cool off.
• Besciamella: Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the flowery taste.
• Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

AMANDA'S BREAKFAST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Brown breakfast sausage in pan over medium heat. Drain when finished.
• While meat is browning: In a 8x8 glass baking dish spread 4 crescents to make the bottom crust and put in the oven for 7-8 minutes to pre-cook the bottom.
• When the bottom crust is mostly cooked and starting to become flaky, remove from oven and spread the cream cheese on the bottom. (I have found that microwaving it for 45-60 seconds helps to make it easier to spread)
• Evenly spread browned breakfast sausage over cream cheese.
• Spread a generous layer of finely shredded cheese over the sausage.
• Spread the 4 remaining crescents on top, pinching the seams together to form a crust.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or when top crust is nicely browned.

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.

LASAGNA A LA AMANDA

Steps:

• Crumble sausage with casings removed in large skillet and cook until no pink remains.
• Drain sausage on paper towels.
• Crumble hamburger in same pan and cook until no pink remains and drain on paper towels.
• Cook onion and garlic in leftover grease from meats. and toss in meat and both jars of sauce.
• Stir together and let simmer while you assemble the pasta in pan.
• In 13 x 9 pan, place 3 noodles in bottom. Cover with sauce and cover with cheese. Repeat until you have 4 layers.
• Cover with remaining cheese and drizzle with olive oil and parsley.
• Cover and bake 30 minutes at 350°.
• Remove foil and bake 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.