1 2 3 Lasagna Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
2 pounds ground beef 5 cups Basic Red Sauce, recipe follows 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta 2 large eggs 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 pound grated Mozzarella 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 12 dried (uncooked) lasagna noodles Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saucepan, add the ground beef & brown over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, & Essence. Add the tomato sauce & simmer for 10 minutes. In a large bowl fold together the ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella, the Essence, salt, parsley, basil, & black pepper. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 3-quart (13 by 9 by 2-inch) casserole. Lay 3 lasagna noodles lengthwise down the dish. The noodles should not touch one another. Spoon 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, & spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella evenly over the ricotta. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, for a total of 4 layers of noodles. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the top layer of tomato sauce, & top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil, & bake, covered, for 1 hour. Remove the casserole from the oven, & remove the aluminum foil. Return to the oven & bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Basic Red Sauce: 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 medium yellow onion) 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves garlic) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups water 1 teaspoon sugar Place the tomatoes in a large bowl &and squeeze to break into small pieces. Set aside. In a heavy 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano & black pepper, & cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, & sugar, stir well, & bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium low, & simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, & use as needed. Yield: 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) note Essence (Emeril?s Creole Seasoning): 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly & store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup total recipe Yield: 6 to 8 servings --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
