MizLani’s Killer Lasagna
Ingredients:
Meat Sauce
· 1 lb Hamburger (I like 85/15)
· 1 lb Mild Italian Sausage – any brand you like
· ½ Cup Chopped Red Onion
· 1 medium jalapeno, minced
· ½ Cup diced sweet red, yellow, and green peppers
· 1 tsp finely minced garlic cloves (garlic from a jar or garlic paste also work well)
· ¼ Cup of flour
· Marinara Sauce, just enough to coat the browned meat (sometimes I make my own, sometimes I use a jar, depends on my time – my favorite is Paul Newman’s Sockarooni)
· Pepper, salt, oregano, cumin, parsley, premixed Italian seasoning to taste
Lasagna Noodles
· Good quality dried lasagna noodles. Don’t cut this corner – buy the good quality dry like Barilla.
· If you’re feeling really crafty, you can make your own pasta very easily as sheets are simple. The curly edges of the dried pasta only really help hold the sauces together so are not critical in a homemade version. Just be sure to overlap the sheets extra.
o 2 C Flour
o 1 tsp Salt
o 3 Eggs
o ½ Tbsp Olive Oil
Cheese Sauce
· 2 Cups Riccota Cheese
· 2 Cups Cottage Cheese
· ¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese
· Any other softer cheese you like such as feta, bleu, cotija, etc. I like to use up my bits of “good” cheeses in this.
· 3 Eggs
· Pepper, salt, oregano, cumin, parsley, premixed Italian seasoning to taste
6 Cups Grated Aged Cheeses
· I like Colby Jack, Mozzarella, and Pepper Jack, but you can use any mixture you like.
Instructions:
1. Start the pasta.
a. Put a big pot of salted water on to boil. Once it’s at a good rolling boil, put the dried lasagna noodles in. They won’t stick together as bad if you put the sheets in one at a time at different angles. A dab of butter in the water also helps prevent boiling over and sticking noodles.
b. They will boil for about 8 to 10 minutes - I like taking them out when they are still pretty al dente – they finish cooking when the lasagna bakes.
c. If you’re making homemade, they only need to boil for about 2 minutes – just enough to set the noodle.
d. When done, remove from the boiling water and strain.
e. Retain a bit of the pasta water in case you need it for the meat sauce.
f. Let cool for a bit then separate them out gently and lay out on a cooking sheet or silicone baking mat. If they’re really sticky, a bit of butter on your fingers will help pry them apart. Not gonna lie – this is the hardest part of the process LOL
2. While waiting for the pasta water to come to a boil, start browning the hamburger, sausage, onions, and all the peppers in a larger soup pot over medium heat, stirring frequently. (The soup pot helps contain the mess while it’s simmering later.)
a. Once the onions and peppers are softened, add in the garlic. Be careful not to scorch the garlic – it will burn quickly, so only cook for additional 1 or 2 minutes.
b. Stir the pasta every so often while browning the meat mixture.
c. When the meat is done, if it is really greasy from the sausage and burger, skim off some of the grease.
d. Add enough marinara sauce to totally coat the meat mixture but not so much that it drowns the meat. You can always add more as it simmers if needed, so err on the side of caution.
e. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer the meat sauce for about 45 minutes. The simmering is critical to get the flavors to marry and break down the acids in the tomato of the marinara sauce, so don’t skip this. Stir regularly, adding more marinara sauce and/or pasta water to keep it about the consistency of cake batter.
f. At the very end of simmering, add just enough pasta water to give you enough “juice” to coat the bottom of the lasagna pan.
3. Now that the pasta is done and the sauce is simmering, make the cheese sauce.
a. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the ricotta and eggs with a hand mixer (or the stand mixer if you have one) until airy and creamy with no lumps.
b. Mix in the spices, cottage cheese, and any other soft cheeses you are using on low until fully incorporated. You want to keep the “lumps” of the other cheeses and the visual herbs intact.
4. Shred your aged cheeses. I like to shred my own cheeses from a brick. The pre-shredded cheeses have a chemical in them that prevents caking, but it also prevents the gooey melt that you want in a pasta dish. So, once I get the cheese sauce made, I shred my cheeses into a big bowl and mix them together.
5. Set your staging area for layering the lasagna. Whether you have a long counter, kitchen island, or the dining room table, having all the ingredients for the layers helps immensely while you assemble the dish.
6. This is where I typically take a break and sip on a glass of wine until the sauce is at the level I want.
a. Taste the meat sauce with a bit of the noodle and the cheese sauce to ensure you have the flavor profile you like. Adjust with salt, spices, or acid as necessary.
b. A great acid for this dish is actually soy sauce as it has a complex build as well as adding salinity. Cumin is a wonderful spice to round the flavor profiles out. Lemon pepper gives you a bit of acid with the depth of pepper often missing after simmering.
c. And the wine never hurts – clears the palate from the saucy ingredients and increases creativity 😉
7. Once the meat sauce is done, let it cool for a bit before assembling. You don’t want the aged cheeses to melt prematurely on the hot meat mixture as this will make you lose your layered finish. Sometimes this requires a second glass of wine. Wait, almost always requires a second glass of wine. Don’t let it get completely cold, though, as it makes it hard to spread on the pasta.
8. Assembly is simply layering the ingredients into the baking dish. I always start by spraying the pan with butter flavored cooking spray.
a. Scoop enough of the meat sauce “juice” to cover the bottom of the lasagna pan.
b. Layer the noodles with the edges overlapping in the bottom of the pan.
c. Add a layer of meat sauce over the noodles. Not too thick, though, or it won’t stay in layers after baking. You should be able to see the noodle below through the sauce.
d. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the meat sauce. Again, not too thick of a layer or it will slide all over when serving.
e. Scoop dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture over the top of the shredded cheese. Smooth out with the back of the spoon to create an edge to edge layer.
f. Back to the noodle layer, and repeat for three layers.
g. Coat one side of the last lasagna noodles in the juice remaining in the meat sauce soup pot.
h. Lay them coated side up on top of the lasagna.
i. Sprinkle with ample amounts of shredded cheese and give it a bit of a smush to compact it down in the pan a bit.
9. Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna with the foil, making sure the edges are tight.
10. The lasagna can be baked immediately or refrigerated for later use.
a. For immediate baking, put the lasagna in a 375 degree oven covered for 35 to 45 minutes. Check the temp in the middle of the lasagna with a meat thermometer – you want about 120 degrees.
b. Remove the foil and finish baking for another 10 to 15 minutes to get the bubbly golden brown top you want.
c. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
d. For refrigerated baking, bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, then check the center temp. Again looking for about 120 degrees.
e. Adjust the oven temp to 375 and finish cooking until the desired internal temp is reached.
f. Remove the foil and finish in the oven until the desired golden brown top is reached.
g. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
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