Pats Lasagna Meat Sauce Recipes

LASAGNA WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Meat Sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add beef, sausage, onion, carrots, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat into bite-size pieces, until vegetables soften and meat has browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes more. Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor; add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened slightly but still very loose, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, eggs, 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 1/2 cups mozzarella, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Assembly: Spread 2 cups meat sauce evenly in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce (space noodles evenly; they will expand as the lasagna cooks). Spread 2 cups cheese mixture over noodles; top with 3 more noodles. Repeat layering of meat and cheese mixtures between noodles twice more. Spread 2 cups meat sauce evenly over top layer of noodles. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Loosely cover with parchment-lined foil and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until noodles are tender but still al dente (easily pierced with the tip of a knife), 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover; continue baking until bubbly and puffed slightly along edges and golden brown in places on top, 20 to 25 minutes more. (There may appear to be a lot of liquid in the dish. It will be absorbed as the lasagna cools.) Transfer dish to a wire rack and let cool slightly and set, about 20 minutes; cut into squares to serve.

PATSY'S MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup sauce into a shallow baking dish; set aside. Cut two sheets in half lengthwise to make four 2-by-8-inch sheets; set aside.
• Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Dip half of a reserved cut sheet crosswise in the reserved sauce, and drape over a corner of the baking pan, leaving the sauce-covered end in the pan with the other half hanging over the edge. Repeat with remaining 3 cut sheets and corners. Line edges of pan in the same manner using full-size sheets dipped lengthwise. Finish lining the bottom of the pan with 2 full sheets.
• In a medium bowl, toss to combine meatballs with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano, and 1/4 cup basil; spread evenly in bottom of dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In the same bowl, toss sausages with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup pecorino Romano with ricotta and egg; spread evenly in baking dish. Top with 1 cup sauce.
• Center pasta sheets on ricotta within 1/2-inch of the edge of dish. Brush draped lasagna with sauce, and fold over to seal and enclose.
• Cover lasagna with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Double-wrap baking dish in aluminum foil. Place an ovenproof plate, upside down, in a large roasting pan; fill pan with 2 inches of hot water. Place lasagna on top of plate. Bake until lasagna reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees to 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining basil, and serve with remaining sauce, if desired.

MAMA'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
• In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.
• Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

PATSY'S MEATBALL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets and cook until pliable and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Pour 1 cup sauce into a shallow baking dish; set aside.
• Cut two sheets in half lengthwise to make four 2-by-8-inch sheets; set aside.
• Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
• Dip half of a reserved cut sheet crosswise in the reserved sauce, and drape over a corner of the baking pan, leaving the sauce-covered end in the pan with the other half hanging over the edge.
• Repeat with remaining 3 cut sheets and corners.
• Line edges of pan in the same manner using full-size sheets dipped lengthwise.
• Finish lining the bottom of the pan with 2 full sheets.
• In a medium bowl, toss to combine meatballs with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano, and 1/4 cup basil; spread evenly in bottom of dish.
• Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In the same bowl, toss sausages with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish.
• Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish.
• Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup pecorino Romano with ricotta and egg; spread evenly in baking dish.
• Top with 1 cup sauce.
• Center pasta sheets on ricotta within 1/2-inch of the edge of dish. Brush draped lasagna with sauce, and fold over to seal and enclose.
• Cover lasagna with a clean, damp kitchen towel.
• Double-wrap baking dish in aluminum foil.
• Place an ovenproof plate, upside down, in a large roasting pan; fill pan with 2 inches of hot water.
• Place lasagna on top of plate. Bake until lasagna reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees to 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with remaining basil, and serve with remaining sauce, if desired.

VEGGIE LASAGNA WITH MEAT

Steps:

• I use an 8" by 12" glass pyrex baking dish for this. Add a light coat of Olive Oil and rub and line dish.
• Wash and slice thin the Potatoes, Zucchini and Egg Plant. Mix the Ricotta and Cottage Cheese well.
• Start with thin layer of veggie combination, sprinkle on a very little Italian Seasoning. Then add thin layer of cheese mixture. Then thin layer a Spaghetti Sauce. Continue with additional layers of Veggies, Cheese and Sauce. Add a little Salt and Pepper if you must.
• Every second or third layer add a few thin slices of Mozzarella, Provolone or Fontina Cheese.
• Finish with a layer of sauce, and a few strips of the thin sliced cheese. Add two pats of Butter (2 Teaspoons) and drizzle with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
• Cover dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove foil and add a couple additional slices of cheese last 10 or 15 minutes.
• Serve with Salad (Italian Dressing or Vinegar and Oil), warm sliced Italian Bread with a EVOO and Parmesan topping, And a fine glass of Chianti Wine. Ciao
• NOTE: I like a meat sauce, if you choose meatless sauce you have a true Veggie Lasagna. You might try my "Spaghetti Sauce -- Italiano" with meat, (which see.)

PAT'S LASAGNA MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Don't "fry" the burger -- just brown it slightly and drain off any excess grease. I use a potato masher to eliminate any chunks of burger.
• In a large cooking pot over medium-high heat, pour in the olive oil and sauté the onions until they begin to caramelize a bit. At this point, add all remaining ingredients, including any minced garlic if you choose to use it.
• Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Do not cook more than 30 minutes or the sauce will begin to "separate" from the meat.
• Use your sauce in your pasta dish after it cools a bit.
• For the ITALIAN SPICES, I always use Dee514's excellent blend. To make up a batch, (for all things Italian!), blend: 2 tablespoons basil; 2 tablespoons marjoram; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon oregano; 1 tablespoon thyme; 1 tablespoon crushed, dried rosemary; 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes. Recipe #38293.
• NOTE: Just in case you're wondering what I DO put in my lasagna, it's layered lasagna noodles (pre-cooked); ricotta cheese; cottage cheese; Sharp Cheddar Cheese; Parmesan or Manchego cheese (the latter is absolutely delicious and mild); Mozzarella cheese; and; frozen spinach (1/2 box). I top the dish by sprinkling on a little dried basil. It takes a deep casserole dish for all these layers -- the cheap throw-away aluminum turkey roasters, sprayed with PAM, are best but you have to double them. I cover it with aluminum foil, bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, then take the cover off, and then bump the temperature up to 400°F for another 15 minutes until I get some browning on top.