Classic Meat & Cheese Lasagna

Recipe

Preparation minutes
Cook time minutes
ServingsServes 6-8
Episode47
4,596,733

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of Dried Lasagna Sheets
  • 6 to 7 cups of Meat Sauce
  • 2 lbs Whole Milk Ricotta
  • 1 Egg
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano
  • 12 Ounces of Fresh Mozzarella thinly sliced
  • 5 Fresh Basil Leaves
  • For the Meat Sauce:
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 lb Ground beef Sirloin
  • 1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Dry Red Wine
  • 3 (28 oz) Cans of Tomato Puree
  • 10 Feaves of Fresh Basil

Preparation

    1) In a large saucepan cook the onion with the olive oil over medium heat, until soft and translucent about 5 minutes.

    2) Stir in the sausage and ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is just about cooked through. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.

    3) Add the tomato puree and if the tomato puree is very thick add ½ cup of water. Partially cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 4 hours checking on it every now and then and just giving it a stir.

    4) After 4 hours, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the basil leaves partially tearing them as u add them in. Turn heat off and let sit for 10 minutes.

    5) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

    Assembling the Lasagna:

    6) Cook the lasagna noodles only for 4 or 5 minutes not cooking them all the way though but just enough so that they are pliable.

    7) In a large bowl mix together the ricotta, ½ cup of parmiggiano reggiano, the egg and season lightly with salt and pepper

    8) Oil a 13 by 9’ deep dish casserole dish. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place a few sheets of lasagna noodles in the pan in a single layer overlapping slightly. Spread evenly with ¼ of the ricotta mixture, add about 1 cup or so of meat sauce and spread evenly. Arrange some slices of mozzarella and sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano.

    9) Repeat step 8, 3 more times finishing with the mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano.

    10) Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and the lasagna is bubbly at the bottom. Sprinkle the top with fresh basil.

    11) Wait for 20 minutes before cutting otherwise it will fall apart.

    This is the most delicious meat and cheese lasagna just like I remember eating when I was a child.

    If you have any leftovers cut into portions and wrap with aluminum foil and freeze. It freezes perfectly and when you are ready to reheat simply stick it in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or if you can’t wait that long, place it on a microwave safe dish, cover it with another microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 6 or 7 minutes.

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