Baked Lasagna Recipe

Baked Lasagna Recipe

The recipe for the lasagna is referenced from Ricotta Cheese Lasagna with Marinara Sauce – Familystyle Food. The base recipe for the sauce is from https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/tomato-sauce-basil.html

Ah, yes, lasagna! A dish of layered pasta, cheese, tomato sauce, veggies, and sometimes meat. Typically made in a large pan with lovely layers and a thick, cheesy top. This recipe is a great way to get rid of leftover vegetables, especially if those tomatoes in the fridge are just a bit too old for much else. And of course, you can add other veggies if you’d like. Squash usually is suitable for lasagna and probably some other vegetables, too. This is just generally what we have in our fridge that would be good in this lasagna.

Even though you might not think so at first, lasagna has a lot of variety. Just think about it! There are meat sauces, non-meat sauces, and cheesy sauces, with plenty of varieties for cheese and vegetables, as well as different types of meat. There are two types of pasta: no-cook and cooking. The no-cook pasta requires no cooking before use. The cooking pasta type is just cooked like normal and then used for lasagna, just like you usually would. Similar to pasta, you can use various types of greens and tomatoes in your recipe.

So, putting all those together, there’s basically no end to how you could make your lasagna different. I think the recipe I chose for today was pretty simple, especially compared to some others. It was made more complicated by the fact that I also decided to make my own pasta sauce, but it was totally worth it! If you really want to, you can make the noodles yourself too, which I should have a recipe for, it was my Pumpkin Ravioli recipe I posted. If not, it’s pretty easy to find a pasta recipe.

If you don’t have a pasta machine, to be fair, you will need a bit of arm strength to roll it out enough, but you can also make every noodle unique if you make it yourself. Just be careful to ensure it is dry enough before boiling and that you make it the right size for your pan. One thing to keep in mind when making your own pasta is that the texture will be slightly different from store-bought pasta.

It’s not a bad thing; it’s just something to keep in mind. Otherwise, it’s surprising when you bite into your noodles and they have a different texture. You also have to remember that every noodle will be different depending on how you cook it, what type of flour you use, and how long you mix it; it all adds to the factors in making your own pasta, which is why it’s a science! Cooking and baking are a science regarding what ingredients taste good together and how different ingredients react together – all science.

And it’s really cool that with all that science, and when you’re done with the science experiment, you get to eat it, which is a nice bonus. I really hope you enjoy this recipe and any others in the future. Enjoy!

Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 pounds plum tomatoes (or two 28-ounce cans whole peeled plum tomatoes) I used 4 tomatoes plus one 6-oz can of tomato paste and 6 ounces of water
• 3 cups water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped up
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (I used 3)
• 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Any other spices you want to taste

Sauce Instructions:

• Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks, add them with the water into a Dutch oven or saucepan.
• To the chopped tomatoes, add the butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1½ to 2½ hours or in until your desired thickness, stirring occasionally and mashing the tomatoes, until the sauce is no longer watery. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, mash any large chunks of tomatoes and garlic to make a slightly chunky and thick sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Before serving, stir in the basil.

Lasagna Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 2 cups (567 g) whole milk ricotta cheese (20 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 cups marinara sauce, or your favorite prepared tomato pasta sauce (see provided sauce recipe)
• 16 no-boil lasagna noodles, or 1-pound fresh lasagna noodles
• 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese (I didn’t add this ingredient, but it was still very good)
• 2½ cups (340 g) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese (12 ounces)

Lasagna Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, salt, pepper, and parsley and whisk until creamy and blended.

Assemble the First Layer:

• Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking or casserole dish. Arrange four lasagna noodles (or two fresh pasta sheets) over the sauce, slightly overlapping them and pressing down lightly. Spoon a generous cup of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles, spreading it to the edges of the pasta. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the ricotta.

Add the Second Layer:

• Arrange four lasagna noodles over the ricotta. Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce over the noodles and sprinkle 1 cup of the Parmesan evenly over the sauce.

Add the Third Layer:

• Arrange four lasagna noodles over the tomato sauce and Parmesan. Spread with the remaining ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the mozzarella.

Add the Final Top Layer:

• Layer the last four lasagna noodles over the ricotta. Pour the remaining 1 cup sauce over the noodles, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with the remaining ½ cup each of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
• Cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Continue baking 15 more minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden and the edges of the lasagna are crisp.
• Cool the lasagna in the pan on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes to allow it to set. Cut into squares and serve.