A Classic Traditional Style Italian Lasagna
This lasagna is everything a truly Italian style lasagna should be. Utterly delectable!
Equipment
- large 13X9 inch oven safe casserole dish
Ingredients
- 16 oz lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 1 lb Mozarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
For the sauce:
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 (6) oz cans tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ½ cup brewed black coffee
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
For the cheese filling:
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the marinara sauce:
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, and onion, over medium heat until well browned.
- Drain off excess fat and return to heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
- Simmer on the stovetop, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, or cook on low in a slow cooker for 6+ hours.
- Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
- Cool and refrigerate overnight.
Make cheese filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, chopped parsley, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon pepper, Nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cook noodles:
- Cook noodles according to package directions, drain. Or soak the raw, hard noodles in a 13 X 9 inch pan of very hot water for 20-30 minutes. Noodles won't be cooked but they will be soft and pliable, and they will complete cooking in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
Assemble lasagna:
- Spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a deep 13x9 inch baking dish.
- Arrange a layer of noodles over the meat sauce.
- Spread ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture onto the noodles.
- Top with a ⅓ of the grated mozzarella cheese.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat with second layer: Sauce, noodles, ⅓ of the cheese spread, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Repeat with third layer: Sauce, noodles, ⅓ of the cheese spread, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Finish with a final layer of noodles, a layer of grated mozzarella and some grated parmesan cheese.
- Cover pan with foil.
- Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 30 minutes.
- Lasagna is done when it's hot and bubbly with lightly browned edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow lasagna to cool for 30 minutes before cutting it into serving sized squares.