Comfort Food Friday
Hello! Now that we're in September and fall is in the air I have been transitioning, in my mind so far, (because it is so hot out) to more savory, fall-type meals. To that end, I wanted to share my recipe for lasagna. Lasagna is most likely something you have made or make often so really this is sharing my sauce recipe more than anything. I use sweet Italian sausage for the meat sauce. I hope you like it!
Here is the recipe and step by step pictures follow.
To make the lasagna, here are the ingredients.
Start with the sauce. I sauté a chopped onion in about two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
This is how the diced onion looks after it has been cooking for about 5-7 minutes.
I then add the minced garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often.
Then I add the sausage.
Breaking it up with a wood spoon as it cooks.
This is how it looks when the sausage is cooked.
I drain off all of the fat and then add two generous tablespoons of tomato paste and cook over high heat, stirring constantly to coat all of the meat and vegetables with the tomato paste.
Once everything is coated I add in the wine and simmer on high until reduced by half, scraping up any bits in the pan in the process.
This is how it will look once the wine is reduced.
I then add the canned crushed and canned diced tomatoes.
Then the salt, pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil. I mix it all together, cover, and simmer for at least an hour (I try for two hours).
This is how the sauce looks when it is done.
Time to assemble!
Here are the ingredients needed for assembly.
I put the ricotta in a large bowl and then stir in two lightly beaten eggs until the ricotta is smooth and the egg is incorporated.
I add dried basil, one cup of grated mozzarella, and a half cup of shredded parmesan to the mixture.
And stir it all together.
I coat the bottom of the lasagna pan with a little bit of the sauce.
Then put down the noodles (I use oven ready lasagna noodles for convenience).
Coat the noodles with one quarter or the ricotta mixture.
Sprinkle about one half cup of mozzarella and one quarter cup of parmesan on top.
Then repeat three times.
For the last layer, coat only with sauce.
And then sprinkle the remainder of the mozzarella and parmesan on top.
Bake the lasagna at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. If you have refrigerated or frozen the lasagna, remove the plastic wrap and put the foil back on top, loosely, and place the lasagna in the oven (not preheated) and turn the oven on to 375 so the lasagna warms up with the oven. It will take about 15 minutes longer to cook once the oven reaches its temperature if refrigerated and about 30 minutes longer if frozen. I keep the loose foil on until the last ten to fifteen minutes so that the cheese can brown, but not too much.
Presto, it is ready!
Serve with a salad and bread and enjoy :-). This picture is making me hungry!
If you have any variations for lasagna that you love, please share in the comments.
Happy Friday.
Thank you for being here,
Kerry
