Sunday Lasagna Recipes

VICTORIA GOTTI'S SUNDAY LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 3/4 pound of the mozzarella, 3/4 cup of the romano cheese, the eggs, milk, and the salt and pepper. Whisk the mixture by hand until it looks creamy and the ingredients are evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and sausage. Saute for 6 minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick.
• In a large suacepan, heat the sunday gravy. Stir in the sausage. Cover the saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large pot filled with boiling water, place the noodles and the remaining 2 tbl of oil. Cook the noodles until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water, set aside.
• Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan, place a single layer of noodles over the sauce.
• Top the noodles with another ladle of sauce.
• Drain and excess liquid from the refrigerated ricotta mixture, and spoon 1/4 of the mixture over the first layer of noodles and sauce. Repeat the process three times, layering noodles, sauce, and cheese four times (there should be 4 layers total) and end with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella, 1/4 cup romano, and oregano and parsley flakes on top.
• Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden and bubbling.
• Allow the lasagna to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
• In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before 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.