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Dec 28, 2020 at 04:45PM vs Apr 25, 2021 at 10:09AM
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>couple tbsp 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>1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste</li>
<li>1 tsp fish sauce</li>
<li>dash of balsamic vinegar</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 cook until softened and beginning to brown around edges, about 5-10 minutes. Add the carrots and cook until beginning to soften, another 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, 10-15 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>5 lasagna noodles</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>
<h1>Notes from version April 2021:</h1>
<p>Attempted a combination of this and <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/no-holds-barred-lasagna-bolognese-pasta-italian-homemade-ricotta.html">Serious Eat Lasagna</a>. The cottage cheese layer with eggs and herbs was indistinguisable from original plain cottage cheese. Beschemelle layer was amazing! Added this layer in 2 parts above the noodles layer.</p>
<ul>
<li>2 tablespoons butter</li>
<li>2 tablespoons flour</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, finely minced, or grated on a microplane grater</li>
<li>2 cups whole milk</li>
<li>1/2 pound dry whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated (or whatever cheese, I used 1/2 c of parmesan)</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</li>
<li>Salt and freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
<p>Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir with whisk until light blond in color and slightly nutty aroma develops, about 1 minute. Add garlic, and stir to combine. Whisking constantly, add milk in steady stream until fully incorporated. Bring to a simmer (mixture should thicken). Remove heat, add cheese and nutmeg, and whisk until fully melted. Whisking constantly, return to a simmer, remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.</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>