Lasagne
Andrea puts his entire Italian heritage on the table. His lasagne is classic, with Italian plum tomatoes, basil, garlic, and oregano. He layers the lasagna with spinach, meat balls, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. A bite of Italy!
Ingredients
- Sauce
- Onion - 1 cup, chopped
- Garlic - 1/3 cup, chopped
- Olive Oil - 1 cup
- Italian plum tomatoes with juice - 3 pounds, canned
- Fresh basil - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Fresh Parsley - 1/3 cup, chopped
- Fresh Oregano - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Meatballs
- Pork - 1 pound, ground round or chuck
- Garlic - 1-1/2 tablespoons, chopped
- Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Fresh Oregano - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Fresh basil - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup, grated
- Bread Crumbs - 1/4 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Assembly
- Spinach - 1 pound
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
- Lasagne Noodles - 1-1/2 pounds (preferably fresh; dried prepared according to package directions may be substituted)
- Mozzarella cheese - 7 cups, shredded
- Ricotta cheese - 2 cups
- Parmesan cheese - 3 cups, grated
- Fresh basil - 3 tablespoons, chopped
- Fresh Oregano - 3 tablespoons, chopped
Instructions
Sauce
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in hot oil until slightly browned and tender. Puree the tomatoes with juice, in batches, in a food processor and add them to the saucepan. Add the basil, parsley, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and reserve.
Meatballs
Combine all the ingredients using a mixer or food processor. Form mixture into small balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Place meatballs, spaced about 2 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400 f oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, drain on toweling, and reserve.
Assembly
Pick the coarse stems off spinach and wash several times to remove all dirt. Boil for 5 minutes, then chop very fine.
To build the lasagne, pour 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil into the bottom of a large, deep baking dish or pan (a roasting pan will work). Top with a layer of noodles, trimmed to fit the pan. Spread a third of the sauce on top of the noodles, then add, in layers, about a third of the meatballs, 2-1/3 cups Mozzarella, 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, and a third of the chopped spinach. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon each basil and oregano on top, then start the second layer. Perpendicular to the first noodles, arrange another layer of pasta. In the same proportions as the first layer, add sauce, meatballs, cheeses, spinach, and herbs. Then, beginning with noodles, repeat to form a third and final layer. Drizzle olive oil on top, then set the baking pan inside a larger pan in a preheated 450 F oven and bake for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Remove and let stand for about 20 minutes before serving.
