Lasagna brings Italy to mind, but at least one theory places the popular dish’s origins in Greece. The name comes from the Greek word laganon, which was a dish composed of layers of pasta and sauce. The Romans also had a similar dish. The first recorded recipe for a modern lasagna comes from a 1390s British cookbook, which included dishes with Spanish, French, Italian and Arab influences. That recipe did not include tomatoes, however. Italians refined the recipe but regardless, Americans benefit from all the history behind the hearty and satisfying dish called lasagna.
Recipe Servings: 12
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 tsp salt, divided
- 3 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
- 1½ tsp dried basil leaves, divided
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 15 oz (1¾ cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 12 lasagna noodles
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place beef and sausage in large pan and cook over medium high heat.
- Add onion and garlic. Cook 6–8 minutes and break meat apart with wooden spoon.
- Drain fat from meat.
- Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon basil, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Cover and reduce heat to low, simmering 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons parsley.
- While sauce cooks, place 1 cup mozzarella, ricotta, ¼ cup Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, egg, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon basil in large bowl. Mix well.
- Cook pasta by bringing large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and then add lasagna noodles. Cook 11–15 minutes, or according to package directions.
- Add a thin layer of meat sauce in 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
- Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce, then ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture, and then 1½ cups meat sauce.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Add final layer of remaining noodles, meat sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Cover with foil that’s been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake 45 minutes and then remove foil and bake 15 minutes more.
- Let lasagna cool 15–20 minutes before cutting.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.