Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 T olive oil 1 T unsalted butter 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 2 pounds ground chuck 1/2 tsp each salt, garlic powder, freshly ground pepper 1 can [29 oz] tomato puree 2 cans [28 oz each] crushed tomatoes 1 T dried basil 10 sprigs fresh basil or to taste 1 tsp sugar 2 tsp grated Romano cheese Ricotta filling: 1 container [32 oz] whole-milk ricotta, drained in colander 1 hour 2 eggs, slightly beaten 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Zest of 1 lemon or to taste Juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon Freshly ground pepper Noodles and assembly: 1/2 tsp salt 16 oz package dried lasagna noodles 3 T grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
|
Directions: |
Directions:For the sauce; Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; add onion. Cook until onion is fragrant; about 1 minute. Stir in the beef, breaking it up with a spoon over medium-low heat; until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and the crushed tomatoes. Stir in the dried basil. Increase heat to medium-high and heat to a boil. Stir in the basil sprigs and sugar. Stir in the Romano cheese. Lower heat to a simmer, cook 1 hour. Meanwhile, for the rocotta filling: Break up the ricotta into small pieces in a large bowl, mix in the beaten eggs, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, Lemon zest, juice, salt, sugar, cinnamon and pepper; stirring until smooth. Do not overmix. Taste and add additional salt, sugar and/or lemon, if desired. Heat oven to 350º. For the noodles: Heat a roasting pan or large pan of water to a boil and add salt. Cook noodles until al dente, 3-4 minutes. Remove noodles with tongs to a baking pan, keeping them flat; add a bit of the cooking water to keep pasta suple. Pour 1/4 of the sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 inch buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 T of the Parmesan; cover completely with 1/3 of the noodles [overlapping is fine]. Add another 1/4 of the sauce; add half of the ricotta mixture. Add 1 T Parmesan cheese, top with 2 T of the mozzarella. Cover with 1/3 of the noodles. Add another 1/4 of the sauce; top with remaining ricotta mixture, remaining 1 T of the Parmesan and remaining 2 T of the mozzarella.. Cover with remaining noodles.Cover with remaining sauce. Cover pan with foil; bake 30 minutes; Uncover and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Set aside to rest 20 minutes before cutting. |