Lasagna LOVE
Prep Notes
Lasagna is a true labor of love... From making the beef ragu to the béchamel sauce.. You can use a kitchen hack for the noodles or oven ready noodles. All it takes is LOVE .....
Cooking Time
40 minutes
Yields
6-8
Ingredients
Tomato Ragu
Olive oil
2 lbs ground beef, turkey, or mix (I use half and half)
½ cup finely chopped onion
4 or 5 cloves garlic cloves garlic ( I love garlic I use 5-6)
3 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1 ½ tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
Bechamel Sauce (optional)
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan
pinch fresh grated nutmeg
sea salt black pepper
Ricotta Mixture
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
Assembly
1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1 yellow squash grated
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
Directions
1. In a large pot, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the beef and turkey, breaking it up into small bits. Cook until the meat is browned. Add in the onion and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Mix thoroughly, as the tomato paste tends to stay in one clump. Add the salt, and pepper. Simmer for an hour and a half, stirring every 10-15 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning.
3. Preheat the oven to 375º. Mix the ricotta and egg mixture together.
5. It’s layer time! In a 9x13 pan
1 ½ cups of ragu
1 layer of noodles
½ of the ricotta mix
½ of the cheese and veggie mix
1 ½ cups of ragu
1/2 cup bechamel
Another layer of noodles
The last ½ of the ricotta mix
The last ½ of the cheese and veggie mix
1 ½ cups of ragu
1/2 cup bechamel
Another layer of noodles
Another 1 ½ cups of sauce
the last of béchamel
The reserved mozzarella and parmesan mix
6. Cover with foil, I like to spray the foil with evoo ...or tenting it so that it doesn’t stick to the cheese. Bake for 25 minutes with the foil, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the top is golden and a little bubbly. Let it cool, then enjoy!