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May 17, 2014 at 10:27PM vs May 18, 2014 at 09:48AM
Talia's Lasagna
<h1>Sauce</h1>
<ul>
<li>Medium sized white onion, finely diced</li>
<li>1 pound hamburger meat</li>
<li>1 pound sausage meat (sweet Italian sausages are good)</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes</li>
<li>6 oz can tomato paste</li>
<li>1 bunch carrots, chopped into 1/4-inch rounds</li>
<li>4 tsp dried basil</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste</li>
<li>several grinds of pepper</li>
<li>1 tsp. salt</li>
<li>dash of balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>dash of fish sauce</li>
</ul>
<h1>Rest of the lasagna</h1>
<ul>
<li>500 g cottage cheese </li>
<li>10 lasagna noodles</li>
<li>grated mozzarella for topping</li>
</ul>
<p>Put a pot of water on to boil and cook lasagna noodles for 8-10 minutes, or according to package instructions. Aim for a firm noodle, as the noodles will absord liquid in the lasagna.</p>
<p>Put some olive oil in a frying pan and heat to medium-high. Add the onions and carrots and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, remove the sausages from their casings and mash the meat up, and then add the hamburger meat and mash until thoroughly mixed.</p>
<p>Add the meat to the fry pan and cook until no pink is to be seen. If desired, pour off some of the excess fat.</p>
<p>Add tomatoes and tomato paste to sauce along with all the seasonings. Bring to a boil, then simmer until everything comes together into a delicious sauce, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If sauce is unduly runny (especially if you did not pour off the meat fat), then add a little flour until thickened.</p>
<p>Layer the lasagna in a casserole dish like so:</p>
<ul>
<li>1/3 meat sauce</li>
<li>1/2 the cottage cheese</li>
<li>5 lasagna noodles</li>
<li>scant 1/3 meat sauce</li>
<li>1/2 the cottage cheese</li>
<li>heaping 1/3 meat sauce</li>
<li>mozzarella topping</li>
</ul>
<p>Place the dish on a cookie sheet so drippings do not splash on your oven floor. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. At the end, turn on the broiler and broil for 4 minutes, or until cheese is crispy and well-browned.</p>
<p>See also <a href="/recipe/200">Mom’s Lasagna</a> and <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_lasagn/">Pioneer Woman Lasagna</a>.</p>