Summary
| Yield | |
|---|---|
| Source | Heavily adapted over the years from the 1975 editon of 'Betty Crocker's Cookbook', page 292 |
| Prep Time | 2 hours |
| Recipe Categories | Meat and Poultry Main Meal Italian |
Description
I've been making this recipe for my birthday since I was 13yrs old. It's a family favourite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef / beef mince
- 1⁄2 lb ground pork / pork mince (or italian sausage removed from the casing)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 oz tomatoes, chopped
- 15 oz tomato sauce (i use spaghetti / bolognaise sauce)
- 3 T parsley flakes
- 2 T sugar / splenda
- 2 t basil
- 3 c cottage cheese, creamed (2 12oz or 2 500g containers)
- 1 c parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 t oregano
- 1 pk 8oz lasagne noodles. if using 'instant' in australia, see note below.
- 1⁄4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 t fennel, ground
Instructions
Cook and stir ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic in large sauce pan or dutch oven until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off all fat.
Add tomatoes and break up with fork. (You weren't dating any forks? Oh well, break up the tomatoes with the fork, if you need to to). Stir in tomato sauce, 2T parsley, the sugar, 1t basil, 1t oregano, 1 t fennel (to taste). Heat to boiling while stiring occasionally. Do a taste test to make sure you have enough Basil, Oregano and parsley. Reduce heat, simmer uncover for an hour.
Mix Cottage Cheese, Ricotta (if you have it), 1/2c Parmesan Cheese, 1T Parsley flakes, 1t oregano and 1t basil. You can do this part ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to layer the Lasagne.
Heat oven to 350f or 180c.
Reserve 1/2C to 1C of the meat sauce for a thin top layer.
In ungreased baking pan (13x9x2) layer 1/4 each of the noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese mixture. Repeat this process 3x or until you run out of the ingredients. Spread the reserved meat sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1/2 C parmesan cheese.
At this point, the lasagne can be covered and put in the fridge until it's time to cook it.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow an additional 10-15min if lasagne has been refrigerated. For easier cutting and indeed, the best flavour, allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Note: If using "instant' Lasagne noodles (we have them here in Oz, don't know about USA), double the sauce recipe. Before layering the Lasagne, put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan so the bottom noodles have some sauce to cook in.
You can also use ricotta cheese in place of or in addition to the cottage cheese. More cheese the better!
Add Basil and Oregano & Fennel to taste rather than by the amounts above.
I usually triple this recipe and use more sausage, as well as a lot more shredded mozzarella cheese.
I am reading this recipe and
I am reading this recipe and I realize I have NEVER made Lasagna!
Question: Should I cook the noodles first? Your discussion of 'instant' noodles suggests I should cook them first.
I feel stupid for not knowing!
Depends on the type of
Depends on the type of Lasagne noodles you buy. In Australia we have 'Instant' ones that look like the uncooked ones but you use more sauce and don't cook the noodles first. There's also pre-cooked ones you can buy as well. But I think the American noodles are still where you have to cook them. Read the box. :-)
And make some - you and Todd won't regret it!!