Cafe Lago Lasagna Recipes

WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place sausage and ground beef into a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until meat is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Break the meat apart as it cooks. Stir in mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, Italian herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until mushrooms have given off their juices and bottom of pan is almost dry.
• Pour prepared marinara sauce into meat mixture. Pour water into marinara sauce jar and shake to get all the sauce out of the jar; add to mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is extremely tender, about 2 hours. Add a little more water if sauce becomes too thick. Skim excess fat from surface of the sauce and season with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Turn off heat.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat eggs in a large bowl and stir in ricotta cheese, 8 ounces diced mozzarella cheese, and 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Season cheese mixture with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne pepper; mix in parsley.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse noodles and set aside in a bowl of cold water.
• Spread 1/4 the sauce into the bottom of a 10x15-inch baking pan. Top with 1/3 the noodles and spread 1/2 the ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Spread 1/4 the meat sauce over the cheese, top with 1/3 the noodles, and spread remaining 1/2 the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spread 1/4 the meat sauce over the cheese filling. Tap the casserole dish lightly on a sturdy work surface to settle the layers. Arrange last 1/3 the noodles over sauce and spread remaining 1/4 the sauce over the noodles. Dot top of the casserole with 4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Cover casserole with aluminum foil, being sure not to touch the top of the casserole with the foil. Place casserole onto a baking sheet to catch spills.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook until lasagna is golden brown and bubbling, 30 to 35 more minutes. Let set for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

THE BEST EVER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, fresh basil, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, cook bulk sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Add to sauce; simmer until mixture is thickened, about 1 hour longer., While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350°. Place sausage links on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly; slice into 1/4-in.-thick pieces., In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, dried basil and remaining sugar., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spread 2 cups sauce. Arrange 4 noodles over sauce; spread with a third of the ricotta mixture. Add 7 provolone slices, a third of the sliced sausage and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, using only 1 cup sauce per layer. Spread with 2 cups sauce (reserve remaining sauce for serving on the side), remaining 2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese (dish will be full)., Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until bubbly and deep golden brown, 60-65 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining meat sauce.

CAFE LAGO LASAGNA

Steps:

• LASAGNA ASSEMBLY 1 buttered 15-by-10-by-2-inch Pyrex baking dish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully place 1 18-inch pasta sheet in the boiling water, folding it in so it does not stick to itself (Tip: Viladas lowers it gently and slowly.) Boil 2 minutes. Remove from water using strainer insert, shock it in a bowl of cold water to stop further cooking, carefully lay it flat on the dish towel and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the sheet into 1 side of the Pyrex dish, letting pasta hang off either end about 2 inches, and about 1/2 inch over the side. Repeat this step twice using the other 2 sheets of pasta, laying 1 sheet in the middle of the dish and the last sheet on the other side. (The middle sheet should overlap the others by an inch or 2.) You are creating the bottom and wraparound layer of the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over this first layer of pasta. Boil 2 10-inch sheets of pasta, pat dry, and place these side by side Spread half the ricotta mix evenly over the pasta layer, Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, pat dry, layer Cover pasta layer with half the béchamel sauce. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, pat dry, layer Cover this layer with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Layer with rest of ricotta mix. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Cover with rest of béchamel. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Cover with thin layer of marinara. Top with last 2 layers of pasta sheets. Fold the overhanging pasta layer over the top pasta Top with 1/4-inch layer of marinara sauce and 1 more layer of pasta on top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let lasagna come to room temperature, or refrigerate for 3 or more hours until you are about 1 hour away from serving. .Heat remaining marinara on the stovetop. Place each piece on a plate and spoon a little marinara over the top, garnish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

DAVE GROHL'S BADASS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large flame-proof pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and bay leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the plant-based ground beef alternative and break up with a fork if necessary. Add the tomato paste and marinara sauce and cook until bubbly, about 2 minutes.
• Splash in the red wine and cook until it has evaporated. Remove the bay leaves, then pour in the broth and add the nutmeg, 3 pinches of salt and a sprinkle of pepper.
• Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if dry, until the sauce has darkened and thickened and all the flavors have infused, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) with a rack in the center. Grease an 8-by-12-inch broiler-safe baking dish or lasagna pan with butter.
• Spoon a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of the pan. Top with a layer of 3 pasta sheets, followed by a third of the remaining sauce and a third of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat the layers with the pasta, sauce and cheeses twice more until you have 3 layers in total.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
• Remove the foil and turn the oven to broil, keeping the lasagna on the center rack. Cook to crisp the top, being careful not to let it burn, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Let cool for 15 minutes. Then it's ready to eat.

CAFE LAGO LASAGNA

Steps:

• LASAGNA ASSEMBLY 1 buttered 15-by-10-by-2-inch Pyrex baking dish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully place 1 18-inch pasta sheet in the boiling water, folding it in so it does not stick to itself (Tip: Viladas lowers it gently and slowly.) Boil 2 minutes. Remove from water using strainer insert, shock it in a bowl of cold water to stop further cooking, carefully lay it flat on the dish towel and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the sheet into 1 side of the Pyrex dish, letting pasta hang off either end about 2 inches, and about 1/2 inch over the side. Repeat this step twice using the other 2 sheets of pasta, laying 1 sheet in the middle of the dish and the last sheet on the other side. (The middle sheet should overlap the others by an inch or 2.) You are creating the bottom and wraparound layer of the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over this first layer of pasta. Boil 2 10-inch sheets of pasta, pat dry, and place these side by side Spread half the ricotta mix evenly over the pasta layer, Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, pat dry, layer Cover pasta layer with half the béchamel sauce. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, pat dry, layer Cover this layer with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Layer with rest of ricotta mix. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Cover with rest of béchamel. Boil 2 more 10-inch pasta sheets, Cover with thin layer of marinara. Top with last 2 layers of pasta sheets. Fold the overhanging pasta layer over the top pasta Top with 1/4-inch layer of marinara sauce and 1 more layer of pasta on top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let lasagna come to room temperature, or refrigerate for 3 or more hours until you are about 1 hour away from serving. .Heat remaining marinara on the stovetop. Place each piece on a plate and spoon a little marinara over the top, garnish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.