Ann's Traditional Lasagna
Layered lasagna with beef, sausage, ricotta, and bechamel sauce -- nice and saucy - freezes up well for care-packages - delicious!
Layered lasagna with beef, sausage, ricotta, and bechamel sauce -- nice and saucy - freezes up well for care-packages - delicious!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound hamburger
- 2 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 pound sausage
- 1 each onion large - cut into small dice
- 1/4 cup italian seasoning mix i buy in large spice containers at costco or urm
- 1/8 cup powdered garlic
- 32 ounce tomato sauce
- 32 ounce ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup dried parsley
- 3/4 cup parmesan
- 2 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 6 tablespoon flour
- 2 1/2 cup milk
- Carbohydrate 10.8792905821477 g
- Cholesterol 203.605927083333 mg
- Fat 23.9453306262708 g
- Fiber 1.02798212940292 g
- Protein 22.1249465025629 g
- Saturated Fat 11.5927629868666 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (214g)
- Sodium 985.000251392539 mg
- Sugar 9.85130845274477 g
- Trans Fat 2.20744369193868 g
- Calories 348 calories
Step-by-step
- Dice onion, add sausage, hamburger and onion to skillet to brown on medium till onion is translucent - approx 7-10 min. drain liquid oil. return to pan, add italian seasonings, powdered garlic, can of tomato sauce, salt and pepper. simmer 10 min, let rest 30 min, simmer to mix. taste to adjust salt and pepper.
- beat 3 eggs with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. fold in ricotta cheese and dried parsley. taste to adjust salt and pepper.
- combine butter and 6 T flour in deep skillet on medium-low heat. allow to barely toast, stirring occasionally. add cream and milk. continue heating until barely simmer. I use bamix stick blender to smooth. when thickening, add shredded mozzarella and salt/pepper to taste. allow to cool.
- Cook lasagna noodles in large pan of salted water with 1 T olive oil added to water. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep separate. Drain.
- this recipe makes one full pan: 16" x 12" x 3" deep
- add 1 cup meat sauce to bottom of pan, distribute evenly ... this is to keep noodles from sticking to bottom of pan. Add one layer of noodle. In my pan this is five noodles. Add half of meat sauce. Add five noodles. Add half of ricotta sauce. Add five noodles. Add balance of meat. Add five noodles. Add balance of ricotta. Add five noodles. Add almost all of bechamel sauce. This is top layer and this sauce will simmer down into the other layers, making it nice and saucy when it is hot. Add top layer of noodles, top with remaining bechamel sauce and cover with cheese. I use mozzarella if I have more, or four-cheese pizza mix, or ?? whatever grated cheese is handy.
- Cook in 375 oven with a lid on (I use upside down cookie sheet) for 30 minutes. Remove lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes to rest. Make sure when you cut to serve you go all the way down through the layers. I cut with a knife first in a cross hatch, then cut each piece with my serving spatula before trying to pull it out. This makes a beautiful standing layer. If you don''t cut it right, the pieces slide all over the place.
- It is delicious fresh, better the second day, freezes into individual portions or group portions. I''ve kept it frozen for six months and cooked it again and it is delicious. It hasn''t lasted longer than six months.
- Enjoy!
Simmering the meat sauce for ten minutes before letting it rest for thirty minutes allows the rendered fats to bind with the tomato and spices without toughening the proteins. Ground beef and sausage mixtures release significant moisture initially; cooking until onions turn translucent provides the precise visual cue that excess water has evaporated. Building a deep, twenty-four serving casserole requires deliberate structural planning, especially when dividing ingredients across multiple layers.
Adjusting Proportions for Smaller Households
Halving this massive sixteen-by-twelve-inch recipe is entirely practical when using a standard nine-by-thirteen-inch baking dish. Reducing the yield requires cutting the pasta and dairy components proportionally while maintaining distinct boundaries between the meat and ricotta layers. Bechamel demands constant attention during the initial roux stage; cooking flour and butter on medium-low heat until it barely toasts prevents bitter scorched flavors from transferring into the heavy cream and milk blend. Whisking vigorously ensures the sauce remains smooth before the mozzarella melts into the mixture.Managing Leftovers and Freezing Logistics
Allowing the baked lasagna to rest for ten minutes solidifies the internal structure so individual portions hold their shape cleanly upon cutting. Storing portions in airtight containers preserves quality in the freezer for up to six months. Reheating individual squares gently thaws the rich dairy and meat components evenly, often yielding an improved flavor profile on the second day as the seasonings fully permeate the pasta sheets.
