Simplyperfectamericanstylelasagne Recipes

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
• Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
• Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
• Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
• Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.

SIMPLY PERFECT AMERICAN-STYLE LASAGNE

Steps:

• Thaw and drain spinach, pressing in a colander lined with paper towels. Get it as dry as you can.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, one cup of mozarella and one cup of Italian cheese blend, and drained spinach. Set aside.
• In a 13X9X3 pan, spread 1 cup of tomato/basil sauce on bottom of pan.
• Layer in the order, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (do not overlap), then 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat, 1/2 cup each mozzarella and italian cheese blend, and 1 cup of 3-cheese spaghetti sauce.
• Second layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, and 1 1/2 cup tomato/basil sauce.
• Third layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and remained meat, 1 cup of 3-cheese sauce.
• For top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining tomato/basil sauce, and remaining 1 cup total of cheeses.
• Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes.
• Uncover and continue cooking until all the cheese is melted on the top (about 5 minutes).
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• If you are using a 13X9X2 pan---just make 3 layers to avoid boiling over.