USVI-On-Line

I dont have a specific recipe, but a few things I really think make a difference. Just made a great veggie lasagne last night actually. The kids devoured it.

one is those new no bake noodles. they make it taste like fresh pasta. they are so light and thin, you can put in an extra layer of everything.

second, I think for a meat lasagne, having beef and pork makes a big difference. I will usually saute ground beef and an ground italian sausage in garlic and finely chopped onion and then drain. Then I just put in a store bought sauce and doctor it up a bit.

Here's my easy recipe. Nothing fancy, but it is good

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
29 oz can diced tomatoes
12 oz tomato paste
12 dried lasagna noodles
2 eggs, beaten
1 pint skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Brown ground beef, onion & garlic over medium heat. Drain fat. Mix in basil, oregano, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, diced tomatoes & tomato paste. Simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375F. Boil noodles in a large pot of water until al dente; drain. Lay noodles flat and blot dry.

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley & 1 tsp salt.

Layer 1/3 of the noodles in a 9x13 baking dish. Cover noodles with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the mozza, and another 1/3 of the sauce. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan.

Bake 30 minutes; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

For some reason we never put meat in lasnagna. I like to mix some pre made, or home made if I have it, pesto in the chesse mixture used in the filling. Then a plop some on the top roughly in the middle of each portion area. I swear by the no back noodles, I use Barilla, brand.

We use a combination of gourmet ground meat mixture that is ground beef, pork and veal. We also use a couple of garlic sausages and sweet links as well. (My DH is a meat man for a living and he makes the ground mixture and sausages.)Anyway, it's a whole different texture, but all blends well. Lots of cheese throughout also. Don't skimp on it.

Someday I'm going to have to write down my recipe.

For the filling, I use 3 lbs of ricotta, 4 eggs, fresh parsley, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. (for a pound of lasagna noodles). I add a layer of mozarella - either sliced fresh or shredded, on top of the cheese layer, then more on the top of the last noodle layer.

If I'm making my all day gravy, I don't use ground meat in the lasagna, but add meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, etc. to the gravy. If I'm making something quick, I do add a mixture of ground beef/veal/pork.

I like the Trader Joe's No Bake noodles.

Thanks for all the great recipes......Jayseadee please tell me about your gravy

It's pretty funny but I was raised with Southern Italian/American food (my mom's family is from around Naples) - meaning lasagna had ricotta and mozzarella (and meatballs, sausage, etc). You don't see that in the north of Italy. Here in Tuscany, lasagna is made with bechamel sauce (a creamy white sauce made from milk, flour and butter) and "ragu" - tomato sauce with meat. You basically layer the noodles with the meat sauce and white sauce and bake - and add fresh grated reggiano on top when serving.

And in the Abruzzo reigon they put hard boiled egg in it. I only know that because my favorite Boston restaurant in the Italian North End makes it that way.

All those recipes sound great.

I had a great veggie lasagna at Old Spaghetti Factory last night. (It was open and we were hungry.) Kind of like what others said, it had alfredo sauce in the layers and tomato sauce on top, plus onions, squash, mushrooms, shredded carrots. I might have to try something like that at home.

My old standby is like what folks here have already mentioned -- ground beef and sausage, lots of cheese. Everyone loves it.

I looked at this and said "Maybe I'll chime in". Then I realized that I can not write down my recipes for anything Italian. Not an Omerta thing, but they're different every time. I never write anything down. Drives friends crazy.

If you'd like my recipe, please fly to Raleigh and I can show you.

pip - I'm like that too. I'll make something that comes out really good and the family will say, what did you do? And I'll say, um gee, I dont know, I just had the wine open, some music on, and was riffing on a previous dish / recipe I saw / a food show I saw with the ingredients we had or with what I just picked up at the farm market. But maybe I should try to remember what I did and write it down when we finish up so we can replicate it. Then I never do.

jmq wrote:pip - I'm like that too. I'll make something that comes out really good and the family will say, what did you do? And I'll say, um gee, I dont know, I just had the wine open, some music on, and was riffing on a previous dish / recipe I saw / a food show I saw with the ingredients we had or with what I just picked up at the farm market. But maybe I should try to remember what I did and write it down when we finish up so we can replicate it. Then I never do.

there's a reason why I don't bake and leave that to my wife. I've never met a recipe that I could follow.

"What's in the fridge?" and "How much have I had to drink?" are questions that determine what's for dinner. I have almost, after 15+ years, gotten my sauce to be consistent. Otherwise, it depends on my mood...

Cooking is fun

Jan&MikeVa wrote:Thanks for all the great recipes......Jayseadee please tell me about your gravy

"Gravy" is my term for spaghetti sauce.

It doesn't have to take all day, but that's how my grandmother did it and I learned by following her around the kitchen; however she somehow still managed to get her secret ingredient snuck in - to this day I can't completely replicate what she did - but it goes something like this; all measures (including time) are guesstimates.

When I make this for lasagna, I triple the tomatoes and paste; it freezes really well, too.

Heat olive oil in a large pot
Cook meat - I use some combination of the following: Italian sausage, pepperoni (stick cut in chunks), pork chops, spareribs (also meatballs and bracioli, but I cook those separately, but do add in at the end).

Remove meat from pan and put aside.

Cook onion (no need for a small chop) and garlic; when transparent add crushed tomatoes (1-3 cans); bring to a simmer and cook slow for an hour or so;
add in some chopped parsley, couple of bay leaves, pepper, pinches of salt and sugar;
add tomato paste (1-3 cans) and water (2 cans per paste), bring to a simmer and cook another hour or so.

Add in all the meat and cook for another hour or so.

Oh, and remember to stir - a lot.

For lasagna, I only use the "sauce" part and serve the meat on the side; others slice and dice the meat and add it in.

We'll be looking for your results on the food porn thread.

I love Lasagna!