Another day — another lasagna. Nothing special: good sausage, good cheese, home made marinara — that’s what it is. Another family favorite workhorse.
This recipe is huge and good for large gatherings. It also stores well and, in our clan, its leftovers have never been frozen, beautifully survived transportation to college campuses, and never went into waste.
WHAT WENT IN
— 1 Tbsp olive oil
— 2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
— 8 cups tomato sauce (I use our favorite marinara)
— 2 cups water
— 1 lb whole-milk ricotta cheese
— 2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
— salt, black pepper, hot pepper seeds to taste
— no-boil lasagna noodles to cover the pan five times
— 1 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
— 2 oz Parmesan, finely grated
— sliced fresh basil for garnish
THE PROCESS
1. Preheat the over to 375°F.
2. In a large pan or pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon, until it is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.
3. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, parsley, salt, pepper, and hot pepper seeds.
4. Spread a thin layer of tomato-sausage sauce on the bottom of the lasagna pan. Cover the sauce with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them as needed. Spread about 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with about 2 cups of the sauce, then sprinkle with about 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
5. Repeat the layering four more times, starting with the noodles. The last layer should be noodles covered with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
6. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for about an hour.
7. Open the pan, turn the oven to broil, and color the top of your lasagna for about 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and turns light brown.
8. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil and serve.
OUR FAMILY MARINARA SAUCE ADAPTED FROM LEONE’S ITALIAN COOKBOOK:
— 6 Tbsp olive oil;
— 1/2 cup butter;
— 4 garlic cloves crushed;
— 1/2 bunch parsley — leaves only — chopped;
— 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional);
— 1/2 tsp black pepper;
— 2 x 28 oz cans whole tomatoes;
— 1 Tbsp dried oregano;
— 8 anchovy fillets, chopped;
— 3 oz tomato paste.
THE PROCESS
1. In a large pot, heat oil and butter together and sauté garlic with parsley for 5 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients besides anchovies and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and simmer on ,ow for about 30 minutes.
3. Crush anchovies in a small bow with tomato paste, mix into the sauce, and turn the heat off right away.
