For His Master's Veneration: Best Autumn Lasagna

Lasagna is a casserole made from stacked layers of thin pasta alternating with fillings such as ground meats & tomato sauce and other vegetables, topped with cheese. The cooked pasta is assembled and baked. When you talk of making layers you are talking about work so plan on this as a weekend project.

Among the most favorite man pleasing meals, lasagna is a hearty meal perfect for when the weather starts to change. Don't be intimidated. Just follow the easy steps, then assemble.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

½ lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 medium onion -chopped

2 garlic cloves -minced

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 (15 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

½ cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt -divided

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning -divided

1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves -divided

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley -divided

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese -divided

15 oz. (1 3/4 cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese

½ cup grated parmesan cheese -divided

1 large egg

12 lasagna noodles

small curd cottage cheese

Step one start with your cutting.

Cut up the onion, shallot, and garlic. Grate one carrot. Put in separate bowls.

Meat sauce:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled & sliced thin (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb (at least 80%) ground beef

1 bratwurst, cut open and remove casing

1 small can tomato paste

1 can (1.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions and carrots 5 to 8 minutes or until softened.

Add meats; cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Drain well.

Stir in stewed tomatoes with juice, and tomato paste. Scrape any “fond” from the bottom of the pot. Toss in the garlic. Stir the Italian seasoning; heat to simmering.

Simmer (with a lid askew) for at least 2 hours. Stir occasionally to keep from burning on the bottom. I stirred every 15 mins. You don't want stuff to burn on the bottom of the pot.

KEEP the heat low, just barely bubbling.

Step Two

Cheese:

15 oz. (1¾ cups) whole milk Ricotta cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

In a bowl mix thoroughly.

Step three

Mushrooms:

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon cooked and broken into bits.

8 ounces fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Salt + pepper

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Brown the bacon until done but not too crispy, cut up into pieces.

Wash and rinse the mushrooms place in covered container with 3 Tbs water and microwave on high for 3 mins.

Heat a Tbs of butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.

Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and, when melted, add the vinegar. Cook until the balsamic has evaporated.

Place in a bowl for assembly.

Step four

Cook the pasta and lay out the sheets.

Step Five

Before & After sauce

2 Tbs Italian seasoning

“Bloom” the seasonings in warm oil for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add 1 can of tomato paste. And brown that for a few minutes to extra concentrate the flavors. Add about ½ cup of the cooked pasta water and mix. Taste! If bitter add tbs of sugar.

Step Six

Assembly

Pre heat oven to 350 and spray your baking dish.

Spread a thin layer of the before & after sauce in the bottom of a baking dish

Lay out a layer of cooked pasta

Spread an even layer of meat sauce

Spread an even layer of the ricotta cheese mixture

dot with spoonfuls of the mushroom/bacon mixture

Repeat those layers two more times

Top it with a final layer of cottage cheese,noodles, plain sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese

How to bake lasagna:

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place sprayed side on the food.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes
Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes

Let the lasagna rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing! Don't worry, this dish takes about 2 hours to cool, it will be fine. Without this resting to firm up, the layers will go every which way when you try to serve it.

This happens if you don't let the lasagna rest to firm up!

Serve with a side vegetable. Since I knew I would be taking a dish to a neighbor, I stopped at a small Italian bakery I knew of and bought some connoli for a taste of desert. She loved it!