Lasagna al Forno
Source of Recipe
Tyler Florence
List of Ingredients
- 1 lb dried lasagna noodles
- olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 T fresh basil, chopped
- 2 T fresh oregano, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 30 oz ricotta cheese, (2 containers)
- 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 T fresh oregano, chopped
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups tomato sauce, prepared
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Grated Parmesan and mozzarella, for topping
Instructions
- Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly, coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.
- Coat a large skillet with olive oil. Saute over medium heat, onion, garlic and herbs. Cook 5 minutes. Brown beef and sausage until no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Drain fat into a small container and discard. Stir in the tomato paste completely. Set aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parsley and oregano. Stir in beaten eggs. Add Parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a 13" x 9" pan with a ladle full of tomato sauce. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slighly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds the corners. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the pasta. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the meat, spread to the edges with a spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of tomato sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, meat, cheese and sauce. Top last layer with noodles, sauce and shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2" squares and serve.
Final Comments
Yield: 12 servings.
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