Cuban Lasagna Recipes

CUBAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook about 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in oregano, cumin and coriander. Cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel plantains; cut each lengthwise into thin strips. In heavy skillet, heat about 1/4 inch oil Fry plantain strips until golden brown on each side. Remove from skillet to paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
• Once beef mixture has simmered and thickened, stir in olives and cilantro. Remove from heat.
• To prepare lasagna, arrange one-third of plantains in even layer in bottom of baking dish. Top with half of beef mixture. Sprinkle one-third of cheese over beef. Arrange second one-third of plantains over cheese, followed by remaining beef mixture. Top with another one-third of cheese. Arrange last one-third of plantains on top. Sprinkle with half of remaining cheese.
• In small bowl, beat eggs and milk with whisk. Pour over top of layered ingredients in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
• Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

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.

BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain., Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally., In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and remaining parsley and salt., Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

LATIN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cumin and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw starchy taste of the flour. Gradually add the broth, stirring to prevent lumps. Once all of the broth is added, stir in the milk. Continue to stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add half of the grated cheese and stir the sauce until the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat and transfer the sauce to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chorizo. Cook and stir until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces while it cooks. Add the turkey and continue to cook until both meats are browned 8 to 10 minutes. Drain out excess oil from the pan, if needed. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, oregano; season with salt and pepper.
• Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 1 layer of plantains (about 1/3 of the plantain slices), making sure that they don't overlap. Top the plantains with half of the meat mixture, spreading it out into an even layer so it covers the plantains. Top with half of the cheese sauce, spreading evenly with a spatula. Add another single layer of plantain slices side by side and cover with the remaining meat mixture and the remaining sauce. Add the final layer of plantains and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and a dusting of paprika over the top. Bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

PUERTO RICAN-STYLE CHICKEN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion, bell peppers, shallots, sweet peppers, and scallions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer until flavors combine, about 1 hour. Add tomato paste to thicken the sauce, if necessary.
• Meanwhile, place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the thigh bone reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and let cool until easily handled.
• Fill a blender halfway with sauce. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour into a pot. Repeat with remaining sauce. Cover to keep warm.
• Pull chicken meat off the bones. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and saute garlic until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the boiled chicken and shred it with 2 forks. Moisten the mixture with chicken broth. Add sazon seasoning and olives; mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with a layer of lasagna noodles. Cover with some sauce, followed by some chicken, then a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with remaining noodles, sauce, chicken, and cheese. Cover the final layer of mozzarella with Cheddar cheese for extra color. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake lasagna in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.