Hearty Meat Lasagna

By cortanez

If you can't find meat loaf mix (1/3 pound each of ground beef, ground veal, and ground pork) for the sauce, or if you choose not to eat veal, substitute 1/2 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, for the meat loaf mix. The assembled, unbaked lasagna, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, defrost in the refrigerator for a day or two and bake as directed, extending the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• Tomato-Meat Sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/2 pound ground beef + 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage (NOTE: Use slightly more meat; Can substitute with meat loaf mix but like sausage better)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 (28-ounce) can pureed tomatoes
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Pasta Layers
• 15 ounces whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese (1 3/4 cups)
• 2 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 cups)

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground meat, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and only the fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add the pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set the sauce aside. (The sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for 2 days; reheat before assembling the lasagna.)
3. FOR THE LAYERS: Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the basil, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork until well combined and creamy; set aside.
4. Smear the entire bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of the meat sauce (avoiding large chunks of meat). Place 3 or 4 noodles (varies by brand) in the baking dish to create the first layer. Drop about 9 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture on the noodles and spread evenly by pressing with the back side of a fork. Sprinkle the layer evenly with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce evenly over the cheese. Repeat the layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place the 3 remaining noodles on top of the sauce, spread the remaining sauce over the noodles, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella, then with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
5. Bake 15 minutes, the remove the foil. Return the lasagna to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is spotty brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool the lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.