Joe's Version
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THE TOMATO AND SAUSAGE SAUCE
1-pound sweet Italian sausage meat 1-pound hot Italian sausage meat ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons) 4 cups chopped onions 2 small carrots diced (about 1 cup) 8 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes (2-28oz cans) (I puree them in the food processor) 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds (optional) Salt and pepper Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat and break up into small pieces as you lightly brown the meat. Once there is no pink color to the sausage, remove the pan from the heat, drain the fat and oil from the meat, put the sausage in a bowl and set aside. Discard the fat from the skillet. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Return the skillet to the stove and add the ½ cup of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, put in the onions and carrots, cooking until just soft . Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper ( add the optional crushed fennel if using). Now add the crushed tomatoes, stir and lower heat and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sauce simmers make the Béchamel Sauce: THE BECHAMEL SAUCE 3 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 1 ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, using a wire whisk and cook about 2 minutes until the raw flour scent disappears. Keep whisking and add in the milk until thickened. Add in the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whisk until slightly thick and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside. THE RICOTTA FILLING 1-pound whole milk ricotta 3 eggs 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and pepper In a medium bowl mix the ingredients together. THE LASAGNA NOODLES 1 BOX (MAYBE A BIT MORE) I do not pre-cook the noodles. Fill a deep baking dish or bowl with very warm water. Place the lasagna noodles into the water and let soak 5 minutes before using. Be sure to separate the noodles as you soak them to avoid sticking together. THE MOZZARELLA AND PARMIGIANO CHEESES 1 pound of shredded mozzarella 1 cup grated parmigiano BAKING Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place rack in the middle of the oven. LASAGNA DISH Use a deep 9” X 13” baking pan or dish. Coat the bottom of the dish with a layer of the meat sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Add another thin layer of meat sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmigiano. Add several dollops of the ricotta mixture, smearing softly. Drizzle Bechamel sauce over the top. Continue making layers ending with meat sauce and then mozzarella and parmigiano on top. Cover with parchment paper and then tightly cover and wrap with foil. Bake about 50-60 minutes or until piping hot and bubbling. Remove foil and parchment and turn on broiler. Broil until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before serving. Serves about 8 |
INGREDIENTS & AMOUNTS AT A GLANCE MEAT SAUCE 1-pound sweet Italian sausage meat 1-pound sweet Italian sausage mea ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons) 4 cups chopped onions 2 small carrots diced (about 1 cup) 8 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes (I puree them in the food processor) 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds (optional) Salt and pepper BECHAMEL SAUCE 3 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 1 ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg RICOTTA FILLING 1-pound whole milk ricotta 3 eggs 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and pepper THE LASAGNA 1 to 2 boxes lasagna noodles 1 pound of shredded mozzarella 1 cup grated parmigiano |
The World's Most Incredible Lasagna from Ed Giobbi, via Alice Fixx
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 lb. ground chuck
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp. chopped garlic
6 cups fresh marinara sauce (see following recipe)
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. lasagne
1 lb. mozzarella, cut into cubes
1/2 cup (or more) fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 Tbsp. melted butter (I omit this)
In a large skillet, cook the sausages till done. Remove the sausages and set aside.
Pour off almost all the fat from the skillet and add the chuck. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook, breaking up the lumps in the meat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, till the meat loses its red color. Continue cooking till the meat starts to brown.
Skin the sausages and slice them thin. (I process them, with skin, till crumbly, in the food processor.) Add them to the meat. Add the marinara sauce and partly cover. Simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce cooks, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour, using a wire whisk. When blended, add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk. When thickened, stir in the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir this sauce into the meat sauce.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the lasagne till al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Assemble the dish. Spoon a layer of sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Add one layer of lasagne. Spoon another layer of sauce over this and add a layer of mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmigiano. Spoon 2 Tbsp. melted butter over this (I omit this.) Continue making layers, ending with mozzarella, Parmigiano and melted butter. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until piping hot and bubbling.
Yield: 8 or more servings
Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 small carrots, cut into rounds (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 lb. butter
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring, till the vegetables are golden brown.
Put the tomatoes through a sieve, pushing pulp through with a wooden spoon. Discard seeds. (I just puree them, with seeds, in a food processor.) Add pureed tomatoes to vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Partly cover and simmer 15 minutes. Put sauce through a sieve and push solids through with a wooden spoon (or use food processor.) Return sauce to the skillet and add remaining ingredients. Partly cover and simmer 30 minutes more.
Yield: 6 - 8 cups or more
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 lb. ground chuck
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp. chopped garlic
6 cups fresh marinara sauce (see following recipe)
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. lasagne
1 lb. mozzarella, cut into cubes
1/2 cup (or more) fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 Tbsp. melted butter (I omit this)
In a large skillet, cook the sausages till done. Remove the sausages and set aside.
Pour off almost all the fat from the skillet and add the chuck. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook, breaking up the lumps in the meat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, till the meat loses its red color. Continue cooking till the meat starts to brown.
Skin the sausages and slice them thin. (I process them, with skin, till crumbly, in the food processor.) Add them to the meat. Add the marinara sauce and partly cover. Simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce cooks, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour, using a wire whisk. When blended, add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk. When thickened, stir in the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir this sauce into the meat sauce.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the lasagne till al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Assemble the dish. Spoon a layer of sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Add one layer of lasagne. Spoon another layer of sauce over this and add a layer of mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmigiano. Spoon 2 Tbsp. melted butter over this (I omit this.) Continue making layers, ending with mozzarella, Parmigiano and melted butter. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until piping hot and bubbling.
Yield: 8 or more servings
Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 small carrots, cut into rounds (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 lb. butter
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring, till the vegetables are golden brown.
Put the tomatoes through a sieve, pushing pulp through with a wooden spoon. Discard seeds. (I just puree them, with seeds, in a food processor.) Add pureed tomatoes to vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Partly cover and simmer 15 minutes. Put sauce through a sieve and push solids through with a wooden spoon (or use food processor.) Return sauce to the skillet and add remaining ingredients. Partly cover and simmer 30 minutes more.
Yield: 6 - 8 cups or more