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The Best Lasagna

August 13, 2012 by Mom on the Make 4 Comments

Best Lasagna

Best Lasagna Ingredients

I love lasagna.  My whole family loves lasagna.  In fact, this might be one of the few dishes that my entire family is really excited to see on the dinner table.

We use several different lasagna recipes, but the one below is our favorite.

I think it is because of the unique ingredients including goat cheese, fresh basil leaves, and sliced mozzarella.

My brother and his family were in town over the weekend, so I decided to make this favorite for everyone.

I found the recipe in my “Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook”.

Here’s the low down on how to make this special lasagna.

LASAGNA WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE

2 T olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Follow these steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10-12 inch) skillet.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the sausage and cook over medium low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8-10 minutes, or until no longer pink.

Best Lasagna

Onions and Turkey Sausage cooling in olive oil

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Simmer, uncovered, over medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

tomato sauce thickening

Tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh chopped basil and parsley, onions, Italian turkey sausage simmering together for 15-20 minutes until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a bowl with the hottest tap water.  Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes.  Drain.

Lasagna Noodles in hot water

Lasagna Noodles in Hot water for 20 minutes to soften up

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, the egg, the remaining two tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Set aside.

Cheese mixture

Mix ricotta cheese, goat cheese, 1 cup parmesan, the egg, parsley, salt and pepper

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9x12x2 inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish.  Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce.  Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Layers for Lasagna

Layers for Lasagna: sauce, pasta, mozzarella, ricotta

 

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Can you believe, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product?! :0  Well, I can tell you it was beautiful and absolutely delicious.  This lasagna was gobbled up quick.  No leftovers.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes Tagged With: dinner, italian, lasagna, pasta, recipes

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Comments

  1. Motherhood on the Rocks says

    August 14, 2012 at 1:50 am

    I LOVE lasagna. It’s definitely one of my favorite foods. I think I’ll try this recipe the next time I make it. So good! And the frozen stuff PALES in comparison to homemade. I won’t even eat it.
    Motherhood on the Rocks recently posted..SWEET AND SPICY STIR FRYMy Profile

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    • Mom on the Make says

      August 14, 2012 at 4:14 am

      I totally agree. The frozen stuff is just not even close. I bought a frozen one once, and thought it was a complete waste. The sauce was watery and the meat did not taste high quality. I guess the noodles and meat really need to be fresh to experience the perfect lasagna. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this recipe if you try it. The goat cheese makes it so creamy. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  2. Michelle says

    August 14, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    Yummy! One of my favourite dinners. The next time I make it I’m going to try it with Italian sausages 🙂
    Michelle recently posted..HappinessMy Profile

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  3. Kelly says

    August 17, 2012 at 1:10 am

    I love homemade Lasagna and it’s so easy to make an extra batch and freeze it for the future. My son was just asking for it the other day, I’ll have to try this recipe, my fam would love it!
    ~Kelly
    Kelly recently posted..Big Announcement From Johnson & JohnsonMy Profile

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