Dana's Twelve Layer Lasagna
I have recently done a bunch of authentic lasagna experimenting. This recipe is what I came up with!
Recipe:
1 pound Dana's sweet Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
½ medium sweet onion, minced
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
17-18 ounces crushed tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste
6 ounces V-8 juice
2-3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh whole basil leaves for tearing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
½ recipe Dana's pasta or 12 ounces lasagna noodles (about 12-14)
20 ounces cottage cheese
1½ pounds whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
8 ounces smoked provolone cheese, grated or sliced
1½ cups Bechamel sauce
Marinara Sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces crushed tomatoes
Bechamel Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1¼ cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large pot over medium heat, add the meats. Add in onion and garlic and cook until meat is well browned but try not to break it up too much--you want the meat a little chunky. Drain most of the grease. Stir in V-8 juice, 17-18 ounces of the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, fennel, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions.
To assemble, spread about ½ cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place noodles on top (if making your own, have a pot of salted water simmering. Roll, cut and cook each piece for 1-2 minutes and then put directly on the sauce). Spread with ½ of the Bechamel. Top with about 1½ cup meat sauce, place a few torn basil leaves around, then top that with ½ pound of mozzarella and 2 ounces Provolone cheese. Repeat layering two more times to create three complete layers, but use the cottage cheese in place of the bechamel in the second layer (lightly press down each layer all over right after you lay down the pasta). Top with remaining cheeses. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Combine any remaining sauce with the remaining Marinara and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered in preheated 375°F oven for about 45-50 minutes, until cheese on top is browned. Allow it to stand 10 minutes to 1 hour before cutting. To serve place a spoonful of warmed up leftover Marinara sauce on the plate. Place a slice of lasagna on top of the sauce and top with fresh chopped parsley, basil and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Marinara Sauce
Add 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste and 1 teaspoon salt to 10 ounces of crushed tomatoes and set aside.
Bechamel Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally until light brown. Add the salt and the milk while whisking and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened, smooth and bubbling. Add the Parmesan cheese, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking most of the time. Remove from heat but continue to stir occasionally while it cools so it doesn't form a skin on the top.
Recipe:
1 pound Dana's sweet Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
½ medium sweet onion, minced
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
17-18 ounces crushed tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste
6 ounces V-8 juice
2-3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh whole basil leaves for tearing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
½ recipe Dana's pasta or 12 ounces lasagna noodles (about 12-14)
20 ounces cottage cheese
1½ pounds whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
8 ounces smoked provolone cheese, grated or sliced
1½ cups Bechamel sauce
Marinara Sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces crushed tomatoes
Bechamel Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1¼ cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large pot over medium heat, add the meats. Add in onion and garlic and cook until meat is well browned but try not to break it up too much--you want the meat a little chunky. Drain most of the grease. Stir in V-8 juice, 17-18 ounces of the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, fennel, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions.
To assemble, spread about ½ cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place noodles on top (if making your own, have a pot of salted water simmering. Roll, cut and cook each piece for 1-2 minutes and then put directly on the sauce). Spread with ½ of the Bechamel. Top with about 1½ cup meat sauce, place a few torn basil leaves around, then top that with ½ pound of mozzarella and 2 ounces Provolone cheese. Repeat layering two more times to create three complete layers, but use the cottage cheese in place of the bechamel in the second layer (lightly press down each layer all over right after you lay down the pasta). Top with remaining cheeses. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Combine any remaining sauce with the remaining Marinara and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered in preheated 375°F oven for about 45-50 minutes, until cheese on top is browned. Allow it to stand 10 minutes to 1 hour before cutting. To serve place a spoonful of warmed up leftover Marinara sauce on the plate. Place a slice of lasagna on top of the sauce and top with fresh chopped parsley, basil and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Marinara Sauce
Add 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste and 1 teaspoon salt to 10 ounces of crushed tomatoes and set aside.
Bechamel Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally until light brown. Add the salt and the milk while whisking and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened, smooth and bubbling. Add the Parmesan cheese, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking most of the time. Remove from heat but continue to stir occasionally while it cools so it doesn't form a skin on the top.
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