Mile High Lasagna Recipes

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
• Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
• Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
• Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
• Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.

MILE HIGH LASAGNA FROM RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Preheat oven 375 degrees.
• Heat oil in large skilled med. low, cook onion and garlic about 10 min, till tender.
• Turn heat up to med. high, brown beef, add beef stock, basil and tomatoes breaking up with potato masher or wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubble, reduce heat and simmer 5 minute.
• Make a white or beshemel sauce in a saucepan: melt butter, stir in flour, whisk in milk. Cook over med. high till thick, stirring. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Layer Lasagna in loaf pans for the mile high effect. Meat sauce, Lasagna, white sauce and a handful of cheese, repeat till its a mile high!
• Cover with aluminum foil, place pans on baking sheet, Bake 30 minutes Uncover Bake15 more minutes.
• Notes: Sometimes I half this for my small family and only make 1 loaf pan. I have used dry seasoning, but I'm sure fresh are better. I also just use ground beef and my own canned tomatoes. Sometimes I add cottage cheese just sprinkled on. I really think the white sauce makes it good though!

MILE-HIGH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F
• Place a large skillet over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons
• Cook the onion and the garlic, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes
• Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the beef to the pan
• Cook it through, stirring frequently and breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon or potato masher
• Add the beef stock, tomatoes and basil to the pot and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Mash the tomatoes up with the potato masher or wooden spoon, bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes
• While the red sauce is simmering, place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt the butter
• Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute
• Whisk the milk slowly into the butter-flour mixture and cook until thickened
• Season the white sauce with salt, freshly ground pepper and the nutmeg
• Cover two loaf pans with a layer of foil for easy removal from the pan
• Ladle about 1 cup of the red sauce into the bottom of the first lined loaf pan
• Put down a layer of lasagna noodles, then top them with about a cup of white sauce and a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/4 cup)
• Continue building the lasagna, alternating layers of noodle, red sauce, noodle, white sauce and cheese, until all the noodles are covered
• End the lasagna on a layer of red sauce and top it off with the grated provolone and some Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Repeat this process with the other loaf pan and the remaining sauce
• Cover the pans with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes
• Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown
• Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to let the lasagna set
• Pull the lasagna out of the pans by the edges of the foil, pull the foil down from around the lasagna and cut with a serrated knife
• Garnish each slice with fresh parsley

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Put pasta water on to boil Put a large pot of salted water (1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water) on the stovetop on high heat. It can take a while for a large pot of water to come to a boil (this will be your pasta water), so prepare the sauce in the next steps while the water is heating.
• Heat the oven to 375°F
• Bake Cover the lasagna pan with aluminum foil, tented slightly so it doesn't touch the noodles or sauce). Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Uncover in the last 10 minutes if you'd like more of a crusty top or edges.

MILE-HIGH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Place a large skillet over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Cook the onion and the garlic, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the beef to the pan. Cook it through, stirring frequently and breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add the beef stock, tomatoes and basil to the pot and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mash the tomatoes up with the potato masher or wooden spoon, bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. While the red sauce is simmering, place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk slowly into the butter-flour mixture and cook until thickened. Season the white sauce with salt, freshly ground pepper and the nutmeg. Cover two loaf pans with a layer of foil for easy removal from the pan. Ladle about 1 cup of the red sauce into the bottom of the first lined loaf pan. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles, then top them with about a cup of white sauce and a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/4 cup). Continue building the lasagna, alternating layers of noodle, red sauce, noodle, white sauce and cheese, until all the noodles are covered. End the lasagna on a layer of red sauce and top it off with the grated provolone and some Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this process with the other loaf pan and the remaining sauce. Cover the pans with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to let the lasagna set. Pull the lasagna out of the pans by the edges of the foil, pull the foil down from around the lasagna and cut with a serrated knife. Garnish each slice with fresh parsley.

MILE HIGH LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a frying pan brown your ground beef until cooked well.
• In a separate pan cook your onion and shallot in a little olive oil until golden.
• Using two large dutch ovens, pour your tomatoes inside and add your spices. Then add sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for about 3ish minutes, then reduce to a simmer.
• Add your tomato paste and stir in well. Now cover and allow to simmer for an hour, or up to about 2ish hours. Stir from time to time. Adjust seasonings to your taste as you go.
• Meanwhile put on 2 large stock pots of water, bring to boil. Pop in your noodles and cook to time specified on package minus about 2 minutes.
• Drain noodles but do not rinse.
• Remove bay leaves from sauce.
• Now in a large rectangular roasting pan, you can start to build your lasagna.
• First put down a thin layer of sauce, helps keeps things from sticking.
• Now add a layer of noodles.
• Now add a generous layer of sauce.
• Now add a generous layer of cheese.
• Repeat over and over until you get to the top of the pan.
• Do not panic if the noodles don't fit exactly. I leave a little space around the two ends and pour extra sauce in. That way you get a nice soupy extra bit to nosh on while people are munching on bread waiting for you to get this served up.
• Place in a 350 to 375 degree oven and cook for about oh, say, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove, and cut into it.
• Scoop the sloppy super tall ooey gooey goodness on the plates.
• Serve with a big old "I just made enough lasagna for a small army" smile!

HANDMADE LASAGNA SHEETS

Steps:

• Mound the flour in the center of a large mixing bowl. Dig a well in the center of the mound and add the whole eggs and 5 yolks. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will start to come together in a shaggy mass when about half the flour is incorporated.
• Use your fingers to continue to mix the dough. Press any loose bits of flour into the dough. If needed, add another egg yolk or a tablespoon of water to absorb all of the flour.
• Once the dough comes together into a cohesive mass, remove it from the bowl and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand until smooth, elastic and uniform in color, 4 to 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
• Cut off a quarter of the dough. Rewrap the larger portion and set aside. Use the heel of your hand to flatten the small piece of dough into an oval approximately the same width as your pasta machine, about 6 inches wide. Set the rollers to their widest setting and pass the dough through.
• Lay the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board or countertop and neatly press together into halves, so it's again about the same width of the pasta machine. Feed the pasta through again at the widest setting. Think of these first rollings as an extended kneading. Continue to fold the dough in thirds and roll it until it is smooth, silky and even-textured. Do your best to make the sheet the full width of the machine.
• Once the dough is silky and smooth, you can begin to roll it out more thinly. Roll it once through each of the next two or three settings, adding flour as needed, until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick.
• Once the pasta is about 1/4-inch thick, begin rolling it twice through the next thinner settings. As you roll, lightly sprinkle flour on both sides of the pasta to prevent it from sticking to itself.
• Roll out pasta until you can just see the outline of your hand when you hold it under a sheet, about 1/16-inch thick. (On most machines, you won't make it to the thinnest setting.)
• Cut pasta into sheets, about 13 inches long. Dust the sheets lightly with flour, stack on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a clean, lightly dampened kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

MILE-HIGH MEATLESS LASAGNA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain lasagna noodles; rinse with cold water and drain well. Lay noodles in a single layer on a sheet of foil.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, zucchini, red pepper and half of the garlic. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer to a bowl. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Add mushrooms and remaining garlic. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually add spinach. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Using a slotted spoon, transfer spinach mixture to medium bowl; stir in basil.
• In a bowl, combine egg, ricotta, parmesan, salt and black pepper.
• To assemble pie, spread 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch sprinform pan. Arrange three to four of the lasagna noodles over the sauce, trimming and overlapping as necessary to cover sauce with one layer. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Top with half of the ricotta mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Spread with half of the remaining pasta sauce. Top with all of the zucchini-carrot mixture. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Top with another layer of the lasagna noodles. Layer with remaining spinach mixture and ricotta mixture. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce (you may have extra noodles). Gently press down pie with back of spatula.
• Place springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or until heated through, topping with remaining mozzarella cheese for the last 15 minutes of baking. Cover and let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Carefully remove side of springform pan.

MILE-HIGH CROCK POT LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI OR SPINACH

Steps:

• Brown the beef, onions, zucchini, and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, stirring to break up meat.
• Stir in the oregano, basil, pepper, crushed anise seeds, sliced mushrooms, parsley, spaghetti sauce, and wine.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the beaten egg and the ricotta cheese, beating well until mixture is smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, combine well.
• Grease the bottom and sides of the crock pot (I use cooking spray or butter).
• Layer about 1/4 of the meat sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break noodles to fit, overlapping is fine). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 of the mozzarella. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheese for another two layers. Top with meat sauce and a little Parmesan and shredded mozzarella on top.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours (4 hours on HIGH plus 30 minutes on LOW, in my 1990s 'older' model 4-Quart crock pot), or until noodles are tender.