Lasagna

What is your ultimate comfort food? Mine is pasta of every shape, size and color. Sometimes it is great with just butter, sometimes with red sauce and parmesan – spaghetti carbonara, macaroni and cheese, risotto and cold pasta salad. I love it all. But nothing beats a good lasagna. Just the right amount of sauciness, not too much ricotta and the meat and vegetables of your choice. Crunchy on top, soft and piping hot in the middle. Saucy, messy, cheesy goodness: a pick-me-up on a plate.

My mom has making lasagna down to an art, so whenever I make it I think of her. Fast assemblage, even layers. Turkey instead of beef. TONS of mozzarella. Yes, with every bite I can hear “go get ‘em!”, “you can do it!” and “why don’t you relax a little now and then you’ll be prepared to get everything done”. Thanks mama.

Try her fabulously easy recipe. You might even hear her too. “One thing at a time”. “Break it down”. “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything”. And most importantly “would you care for some lasagna?” Never say more, instead say “some”.

Lasagna

1 package ground meat. I use turkey but you can use beef or even leave it out.

Vegetables of your choice. This time I used:

            1 onion (I actually used half because my onion was abnormally huge)

            1 package mushrooms

            1 zucchini

            1 box cherry tomatoes

1 large can unseasoned tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic

basil

lasagna noodles

1 small package ricotta

2 bags shredded mozzarella

1 package shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. In a pot on the back burner of your stove pour the tomato sauce, the diced tomatoes, the garlic cloves (whole), a big swish of olive oil, a torn off clump of basil and lots of s and p. Simmer for as long as possible. In a pan on the front burner cook your meat if using and season lightly. Then wash the pan and sauté your vegetables. I added the mushrooms first (if they get crowded in the pan they don’t brown), then the cherry toms because I wanted them to slowly burst, then the zuc and the onion. When everything is cooked, the fun begins.

 A secret to lasagna is that you do not need to cook the pasta before putting in the casserole, if you do it gets a little too mushy. Note here that I like to buy little loaf pans at the grocery store and make smaller lasagnas so that I can freeze them or give them away – all of the above works for making one large lasagna as well.

Next add the vegetables and the meat:

Next a big handful of mozzarella:

Next ladle the sauce over the pile. Careful not to let the garlic cloves fall in.

Then dot a few dots (about 1 tsp) of ricotta around. If you like it creamy add more.

Then repeat. Add another pasta layer and keep going until the pan is full. I usually get about 2 -3 layers in each dish. On the top add one last pasta rectangle, cover with tomato sauce, sprinkle the mozzarella a little lighter (about half as much as other layers), then cover with parmesan. Cook for 30 mins in the oven, serve hot with more parm if desired. 

Don’t anticipate left overs.