Lasagna in a Bun
These sandwiches provide the terrific taste of lasagna without the noodles and time-consuming preparation. I often make them to share at church dinners.
These sandwiches provide the terrific taste of lasagna without the noodles and time-consuming preparation. I often make them to share at church dinners.
- Carbohydrate 41.5929201801802 g
- Cholesterol 43.6035676392952 mg
- Fat 14.7898361764469 g
- Fiber 6.39004589723365 g
- Protein 24.7947309073749 g
- Saturated Fat 5.92118644679754 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (255g)
- Sodium 728.864084551685 mg
- Sugar 35.2028742829465 g
- Trans Fat 4.29393073512546 g
- Calories 387 calories
Step-by-step
- In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup mozzarella, ricotta, egg white, Parmesan and remaining Italian seasoning; mix well.
- Cut a thin slice off the top of each bun. Carefully hollow out bun bottoms, leaving a 1/4-in. shell. (Discard removed bread or save for another use.) Spoon meat mixture into buns; top with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Replace bun tops. Wrap each in heavy-duty foil. Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until heated through.
Standard ingredient lists omit the century-long evolution of Italian-American adaptations that transformed layered casseroles into portable hand-held meals for working-class neighborhoods. Italian immigrants in northeastern cities frequently repurposed whatever breads and leftover ragus were accessible, engineering structural alternatives to imported semolina pasta when economics dictated simpler solutions. This pragmatic approach relies entirely on resourcefulness, converting standard bakery items into vessels for rich meat fillings without sacrificing the integrity of the original flavor profile.
Ground beef browns efficiently in a skillet over medium heat when excess moisture is allowed to evaporate before adding aromatics, yielding a concentrated protein base that supports heavy dairy additions. Cooking the meat and diced onion together until the pan sounds distinctly sizzling rather than steaming ensures proper Maillard browning develops on the protein surfaces. Tomato sauce and Italian seasoning introduce acidity and herbs that cut through the density of the fats, balancing the heavy richness of the meat.
Hollowing out the 8-inch submarine buns to leave a precise 1/4-inch interior shell requires careful knife work to maintain structural stability while maximizing the capacity for fillings. Mixing part-skim mozzarella, ricotta, egg white, and Parmesan creates a cohesive binder that coagulates under heat, trapping moisture so the bread does not become overly soggy during baking. Wrapping each assembled sandwich in heavy-duty aluminum foil traps internal steam, ensuring the crumb softens slightly while the exterior crust retains a pleasant chew.
Baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes melts the internal cheeses completely and marries the savory beef flavors with the surrounding dough without burning the exterior paper-thin crust. Utilizing heavy baking sheets distributes ambient oven heat evenly across the foil-wrapped packages, guaranteeing uniform internal temperatures throughout each portion. Storing leftovers requires tightly wrapping individual cooled units in plastic film to prevent the bread from drying out in refrigeration for up to 48 hours.
