International Recipes
Sunday Night Lasagna
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 medium-size onions, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
- 1 pound ground pork or spiced turkey sausage
- 1 (2 1/2 pound) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon finely-grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Bechamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, scalded
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Ricotta Mixture
- 3 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 lasagna noodles, cooked
- 2 cups (1/2 pound) grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Sauce: Cook onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil in a large pot over medium-low
heat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until wilted and golden, stirring. Add meat in
small clumps and brown well over medium heat, breaking it up with a fork. Stir in
remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer
uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.
- Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan; whisk in flour. Cook over low
heat, whisking, until fully blended, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream,
whisking constantly until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly until thickened, 4 to
5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Ricotta Mixture: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parsley, oregano, nutmeg, salt and pepper; stir
well. Place 2 cups of the Sauce in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 lasagna
noodles on top of sauce. Over the noodles, spread half of the ricotta mixture, 2
cups Sauce and 1 cup Bechamel Sauce, then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat
with remaining noodles and ricotta, 2 cups Sauce, remaining Bechamel sauce and mozzarella.
There will be some Sauce left over.
- Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 30
minutes.
- Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove dish from oven and allow to rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.