Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with lasagna, including Mexican Lasagna and Supreme Pizza Lasagna. Enjoy!
LASAGNA
This is from Regina Schrambling on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the ultimate lasagna recipe. She tested several, and finally found her ideal in a mash-up of recipes from Giuliano Bugialli and Elodia Rigante, both Italian cookbook authors.
“‘If there were central casting for casseroles, this one deserved the leading role. But its beauty was more than cheese deep. This was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. The sauce was intensely flavored, the cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, the meat was just chunky enough, and the noodles put up no resistance to the fork. Most important, the balance of pasta and sauce was positively Italian. At last I could understand why my neighbor Geoff had told me, as I dragged home more bags in our elevator, that all-day lasagna is the only kind worth making.’”
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in “The Noodle and I: A Face-of at the Oven”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna:
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
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.
SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA
This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.
Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
12 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
30 ounces whole-milk ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
Directions
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.
To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cook’s Note
The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
CROCKPOT LASAGNA
This recipe is from MyDailyMoment, and begins, “Most people don't associate lasagna and healthy eating together, but that's exactly what you get with this dynamic dish. A meat and cheese lover's dream, use your noodle and enjoy this slow-cooked staple that's sure to become your go-to dish when you have a hankering for something Italian.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. lasagna pasta, uncooked
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Additional Tips
Ready in 4 1/4 hours.
MEXICAN LASAGNA
This is from tbsp., and begins, “A delicious twist on lasagna!”
Prep: 30 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 10
View this online here.
Ingredients
6-8 large tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 packet Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix
1/3 medium onion, diced
1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ mild red enchilada sauce
1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans, any type
1 1/2 cup cheddar or mexican blend cheese
3 small or medium tomatoes, diced
Cilantro, as desired
Black olives, as desired
Sour cream, for topping
Shredded lettuce, for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large non-stick skillet on stove, cook onions and beef until cooked through. Remove skillet from heat, drain off grease and stir in taco seasoning. Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with a thin coat of enchilada sauce. Layer tortilla halves in the bottom of the pan with the cut (straight) sides facing outward toward edges of pan. Cut pieces of another tortilla as needed to fill in any gaps and create a solid tortilla layer in the bottom of the pan.
Continue layering ingredients in the following order, making sure to save enough of each ingredient to form a second layer: refried beans, enchilada sauce, beef and onion mixture, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro and black olives (if desired).
Using equal amounts of ingredients as the first layer, form your second layer in the following order: tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce, meat and onions, cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and olives.
Top with a final layer of tortillas, and cover with a thin coating of enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake lasagna for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas start to crisp. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and additional toppings as desired.
CLASSIC LASAGNA
This comes Alison Roman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “While not a 30-minute meal, this lasagna is quicker and more straightforward than most. If you're in a real time crunch, use your favorite jarred red sauce. For greater success with the lasagna noodles, which have a tendency to stick together, boil them in the largest pot possible or work in batches – they need as much water as possible to move freely so they don’t clump. This lasagna can be assembled, baked and refrigerated up to five days ahead, or frozen up to a month ahead if wrapped tightly.”
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: About 2 hours.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot (optional), casings removed
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
For the Assembly:
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella, grated or shredded into small pieces
16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling on top (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound dried lasagna noodles (not the no-boil variety)
Olive oil
Preparation
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 1/4 cups of sauce, and dollop 1/4 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.
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