Lasagna Pigin’ Out With Gladys

Posted on March 22, 2009 by pmunro




Poor Glady’s!  I just couldn’t not resist dressing her up as a Piggy this year for Halloween! I thought she looked adorable…pink is her color, don’t you agree?

I would like to share my famous lasagna recipe with you. This makes a huge pan, there is enough to feed quite a few piggy’s!
“No Bull” one of the best tips I can give for preparing this is DO NOT COOK THE NOODLES.  Instead boil water and lay your noodles out in your lasagna pan.  Pour the boiling water over the noodles and allow them to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before arranging lasagna in pan. There are 2 must have ingredients for this recipe, Fresh Mozzarella cheese, you know the kind in the round white log. Slice them into thin rounds. Please do not use the shredded kind in a bag…NO, NO NO!! Another must have ingredients is Fennel. I believe this is a key ingredients in all italian cooking.
Phyl’s Famous Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 lb.  Sweet italian sausage. I love the Bob Evans Brand in the green pkg.
1 lb. ground beef
1/2  cup Minced onion
4 Cloves of garlic crushed
1 28 oz. Can of crushed tomatoes
2 6 oz Cans of tomato paste
2 6.5 oz Cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of water/ or red wine
2 Tlbs. white sugar
2 tsp. Dried basil
1 tsp. Fennel seeds
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tlbs. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black pepper
4 Tlbs. fresh chopped parsley
12 Lasagna noodles
32 oz Ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Lb. Mozzarella cheese sliced in rounds
3/4 C Grated Parmesan cheese
1.  In a dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil,fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and half of the parsley. Simmer stirring occasionally.
2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lay noodles in lasagna pan and pour water over noodles to completly cover. Allow them to sit for 10 to 15 min. before arranging lasagna. Drain and dry noodles.
3.  Mix egg, Ricotta Cheese, 2 Tlbs. chopped parsley Salt and pepper.
Pre Heat oven to 375
4. To assemble spread 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 14 1/2 x 11 x 2 pan. Arrange 6 noodles over sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1/1/2 cups of the sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.  Repeat layers and top with parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.
5.  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before cutting.
Another great tip is this can be prepared and stored in the fridge and baked later in the day or even the next day. Makes great leftovers!
Enjoy!
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  • Ericka

    Totally agree about fennel. I do like to use the powdered kind rather than seeds, just because I don’t care for the crunchiness of the seeds. The flavor is a must for Italian dishes, especially if they contain tomato.

    The lasagna noodles idea is sheer genius. I have used “no-boil” lasagna noodles before. You know, the kind you supposedly can just put into the lasagna totally uncooked and they will cook properly while the lasagna is in the oven…HA! The noodles wind up underdone and chewy. And I hate wrestling with limp lasagna noodles after they’ve been boiled. Rest assured, the next time I make lasagna, I will use this tip to make things easier.

  • Phyllis Munro

    I actually like the seeds of the Fennel, I will be adding the powdered kind to my spice collection and give it a try.
    Someone asked me about how to dry the noodles. I usually blot with a clean dish towel. I prepare the noodles just before assembly. There is nothing worse in my opinion than over cooked noodles, and I hate messing with torn noodles that have been cooked in boiling water. This method of laying the noodles in the pan with the boiling water turns out perfect every time. I am actually making this lasagna again this afternoon. It is my husbands favorite!