Lasagna Recipe

My Mom’s Lasagna Recipe – adapted slightly, rich hearty Lasagna with a nice blend of ingredients. The name Lasagna, or “Lasagne” is derived from the Greek word ‘Laganon’; the first known form of pasta. Laganon was not a traditional lasagna, but it was composed of layers of pasta and sauce.

Ingredients

• Sauce Mixture
• 1 lb Ground Beef, Lean
• 2 tsp Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup Onion, Diced
• 10 oz Can Mushrooms with Juice, Sliced
• 7 oz Tomato Sauce
• 5 1/2 oz Tomato Paste
• 2 tsp Italian Seasonings, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram, Sage & Savory
• Cheese Layer
• 500 gram 2% Cottage Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese Or more – as much as you need to make it thick; not runny
• 12 lasagna noodles I use the ready to use – no boiling necessary noodles
• 8 oz Mozzarella cheese, Slices or Shredded

How to Make It

• In a large Saucepan scramble fry ground beef on medium heat until completely browned. Drain any excess grease.
• Add chopped onions, garlic, sprinkle of salt & pepper & continue frying until onions are soft.
• Add mushrooms & liquid, can of tomato sauce & tomato sauce can of water, can of tomato paste & tomato paste can of water, Italian seasoning mixture and salt & pepper.
• Reduce heat to medium low and simmer sauce at least 15 – 20 minutes until it is slightly thickened. It needs to be somewhat runny to ensure the noodles have the extra liquid to absorb while cooking your lasagna. If your sauce is too thick, add water as needed.
• Combine cottage cheese, egg and parmesan cheese in a bowl and mix well.  This mixture must be somewhat thick – not runny or it will not set right in your lasagna.  Add additional parmesan cheese to thicken or another egg to loosen.
• Using a 9 x 13 pan, pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom to keep the noodles from sticking. Lay 3 noodles side by side and 1 at the end of the pan so the bottom is covered with noodles. Spoon a large quantity of ground beef sauce mixture over the noodles. Top with another layer of noodles.
• Spread the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles and top with another healthy layer of sauce mixture. Top with another layer of noodles & put the remaining sauce mixture on top. Finish with your mozzarella cheese slices or shredded cheese blend.
• Bake covered in a pre heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is nicely melted on top and the sauce is bubbling.
• Remove from oven and let set 10 minutes before slicing

Making ahead

You can also prepare the sauce in advance, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge when ready to continue building your Lasagna as per the instructions.

Lasagna is the perfect make ahead dish. You can prep the entire dish a day in advance right up to the point of layering all ingredients in your baking dish. At this point cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day remove from the fridge at a minimum of an hour or two prior to cooking to allow the dish to come close to room temperature. If placed in a hot oven directly from the fridge you run the risk of the dish cracking. Bake as directed.

Leftovers

Lasagna can be just as delicious the next day as leftovers. I like to reheat my Lasagna in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until it is bubbly and heated through. Make sure to add some extra liquid to ensure the Lasagna does not dry out.

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