Lasagna Surprise Recipes

LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Working batches, cook the lasagna noodles until they are soft and pliable but not limp, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pasta from the boiling water and lay flat on a sheet tray to cool. Reserve.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown and crumbly. Remove from pan and reserve on paper towels.
• Ditch the fat from the pan and add new olive oil along with 2 cloves of garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. When the garlic becomes golden and very aromatic, remove it from the heat and discard. Toss in the mushrooms and season them with salt. Cook the mushrooms until they are soft and wilted and dark brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve. Repeat this process with the remaining garlic and the zucchini.
• In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the eggs, and the basil. Mix to combine well and season with salt.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch deep-dish baking dish, add a couple ladlefuls of sauce and spread out in an even layer. Arrange a layer of the lasagna noodles to completely cover the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Place a layer of pasta going in the other direction as the first layer (this will give a little more stability). Spread a light layer of sauce on the pasta and sprinkle 1/3 of the sausage over the sauce, repeat this process with 1/3 of the mushrooms and zucchini. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella and some of the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano over the veggies. Repeat these layers until all the ingredients have been used up or the pan is full. Be sure that there is a layer of pasta on top covered with sauce and sprinkled with mozzarella and Parmigiano. Cover with foil.
• Place the lasagna on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 1 hour 15 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
• Note: For optimal slicing, make and bake the lasagna the day before. Heat it up again before slicing.
• Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt, and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently; the onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pass the tomatoes through a food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out one of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and taste it; tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.
• Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the fridge for a few days or it freezes really well.

LASAGNA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, crumble beef into pot, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Drain fat from beef and set beef aside.
• Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in pot, add chopped yellow onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
• Add in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, browned ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare lasagna noodles according to directions listed on package.
• In a mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta.
• Stir cooked pasta into soup along with parsley, then thin soup with a little more broth if desired****.
• Ladle soup into bowls, dollop with a large scoop of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with chopped parsley (cheese will melt well once stirred into soup).

LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat, and then add the garlic, mushrooms, onion and basil to the pan.
• Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the onions are softened slightly.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine.
• Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a large pot, boil the lasagna noodles until al dente, about 10 minutes (I use whole wheat noodles, the time may be a bit less for white noodles) and drain.
• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, and beaten eggs.
• In a 9x13 inch baking pan, layer the lasagna. Place half the noodles in the pan and spread with half the cottage cheese mixture. Next spread one third of the mozzarella cheese and then half the meat sauce. Repeat these layers and then top with the remaining third of the mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has started to brown and the filling is hot and bubbling.
• Let it stand for at least 10 minutes to set up before cutting into squares and serving.

WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA SOUP

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Drain; drizzle with olive oil and toss.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic and oregano and cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water; cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the noodles, basil, parmesan and heavy cream; simmer 2 more minutes.
• Divide the soup among bowls. Top with ricotta and sliced basil.

LASAGNA SURPRISE

Steps:

• In a large pan, cook ground beef/sausage, onion& garlic in oil. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
• In bowl, mix ricotta, spinach and 1 cup mozarella, all of parmesan and eggs.
• In 9x13 baking dish (or smaller dishes as needed), layer 2 cups sauce, half of noodles, half of remaining sauce, all of spinach mixture, half the mozzarella, remaining noodles& sauce.
• Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until hot.
• Uncover, top with remaining mozzarella.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• **To freeze: Bake, cool, wrap well, and label. freeze up to 2 months. *Note: You can assemble and freeze without cooking and cook on the day to be eaten!
• To serve, defrost overnight and then bake at 350F until warmed through, or bake from frozen for 1 hour and a half.
• Note: you can also microwave individual servings!