Lasagna from Lori's Party
Several people asked for it, so here is the lasagna I made for Lori's party.
I started making this probably 15 years ago based on a recipe I read online--it was the one that seemed most like what my mother made. The way I make it now doesn't have much resemblance to the original recipe. I don't focus as much on the sauce as I used to, and I put a lot more effort into the cheese. It's just the way my tastes have changed over the years.
Layers look like this, starting in the bottom of a (greased or Pam-sprayed) pan:
2. Cheese mixture, see below.
3. Sauce, see below.
4. Shredded mozzarella. I buy about 8-9 cups (yes really).
Put the “noodles" down, then spread your cheese mixture over those, spoon sauce over the cheese, and then put the mozzarella on top of that. Use about 1/3 of all your ingredients for the first set of layers. Then start over, 1-2-3-4. Ideally you repeat three times total, but depending on the depth and size of your pan, you might only do it twice (in that case use 1/2 each time instead of 1/3). It won’t taste any different, but it looks better with three layers.
Sorry there aren't precise amounts here. That isn't how I cook.
Cheese Mixture
1 wedge of Romano cheese. Go ahead and buy pre-grated Romano if you can find it, but do not buy the can of powdery stuff. Grate this if you bought a solid wedge.
2-3 eggs. I add two and if it still seems too thick I put in a third.
Small curd cottage cheese, about 20oz. This is the key to good lasagna. Don't buy crap.
Ricotta cheese, about equal parts with the cottage cheese.
Pepper and other spices you might like to taste but don't put Italian herbs in this--save those for the sauce.
You want the consistency to be thick but spreadable, kind of like chunky peanut butter or just a bit thinner than that. Use a bit more cottage cheese or another egg if you need to thin it out.
Sauce
A pound of meat of your choice--I like to use spicy ground sausage.
2 16oz cans of tomato sauce (this is the lazy way, diced or crushed tomatoes are better, or fresh tomatoes if you are really into it).
Spices to taste--I use a grinder of italian herbs and I put a LOT of them in. It's OK for the sauce to have a strong flavor because it is going to be a small part of the final product. Also some minced garlic or garlic powder is good. Do not overdo it on the garlic.
Sugar--optional. I used to put about a tablespoon of sugar in the sauce. I don't anymore.
You can put other things in too. I sautéed mushrooms in olive oil first for the one I made Saturday, but I don’t always do that.
Brown the meat and then drain it. I don't like this to be greasy so I really squeeze the grease out with paper towels. Mix in the tomatoes and seasonings. Let this simmer quite a bit--usually for about 30-45 minutes over medium to low heat. You want it to cook down quite a bit and be a fairly thick sauce. If you used uncooked tomatoes rather than tomato sauce, you may need to cook it longer.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees (you might want to bump this up a bit for the last 10-15 minutes to brown the top of the cheese a bit more)
Layer in a pan as described up above, and bake for around an hour. If your pan is completely full, put a baking sheet or something underneath it so you don't have a mess in the bottom of your oven.
It's done when you see tomato sauce bubbling up the sides and the cheese on the top is starting to brown.
You are so cute! Most of our family recipes have no measurements so I learned them over the phone from my mom. She always gives directions like you do with how it looks, the consistency, not too much of this and add lots of that. It's always hard to share these types of recipes but you did an AWESOME job. It's the little touches that make a big diffference like not buying the cheap version. I always think the most important ingredient is love. Seriously. I can't wait to make this. Did anyone photograph this masterpiece???
May I suggest something to you that is my favorite thing of all foods? Muir Glenn FIRE ROASTED tomotoes!!! They come in whole and crushed (maybe diced, too). It makes any recipe extra yummy. They aren't always easy to find. I have bought them by the case from Amazon at a good price (even delivered). Otherwise they are at higher end grocery stores like Wegmans, Whole Foods, or whatever your local high end is. I think their website shows where to buy them.
Cheers,
Cathy
Thank you. I honestly don't remember ever seeing my mother use a measuring cup and so that's basically how I cook as well. Whenever I ask her about a recipe and how much of something she uses, I get an answer like, "Oh, just enough".
I have been making Jambalaya with crushed tomatoes lately and I really like the way that works out, so I have been meaning to try them in the Lasagna. I have used stewed tomatoes before and those come out OK, but not quite what I'm looking for. I'll try to find the Muir Glenn and give those a shot. We do have a whole foods and a few other places around town to look. Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm glad to hear the sliced deli chicken is working out for you. My family has gotten very used to it and it's our "normal" lasagna now.
