Sicilian Lasagna Recipes

LASAGNA SICILIANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with the melted butter.
• Place the ricotta, egg, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Assemble the lasagna by evenly spreading 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover the sauce with some of the raw pasta sheets, cutting and piecing together the pasta as necessary to fit the dish (see Cook's Note).
• Spread 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta using an offset spatula or your desired utensil. Make sure to get the ricotta to the edges and corners of the dish. Pour 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce onto the ricotta and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle 1 lightly filled (not packed) cup of the mozzarella over the top, followed by a light handful of Grana Padano and roughly one-fifth of the cooked and chopped sausage. Repeat 4 more times, starting with the pasta.
• For the sixth and final layer, begin by laying your pasta, then spread the remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the sauce. Cover the dish well with aluminum foil to trap in moisture and help the raw pasta cook.
• Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover the lasagna and cook until the lasagna has crisped and browned to your liking, 15 to 30 minutes more. Serve with extra warmed tomato sauce and garnish with any remaining Grana Padano and parsley.

SICILIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet or sauce pan, sauté a finely diced onion, carrot, celery stalk and a pinch of salt until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in minced garlic cloves and red pepper flakes (optional) and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ground meat trio (beef, veal and pork) and cook, stirring and breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Deglaze with red wine and cook until it evaporates. Pour in 1 jar of tomato passata. Pour 2 cups of water or chicken stock in the bottle, swirl it around to gather up all the sauce and pour back into the pan.
• Add bay leaves, salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook partially covered about 1 hour.
• Stir in green peas and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
• While the sauce is simmering prepare the bechamel sauce.
• Melt butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Do not allow it to brown.
• Whisk in flour until it forms a thick paste. Slowly whisk in milk and stir.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add a pinch of nutmeg and salt, to taste. Set aside
• Hard boil 3 eggs. Let cool, peel and chop coarsely. Set aside in a bowl.
• Cut mozzarella into cubes or grate it if you prefer.
• Grate Parmigiano cheese.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a rectangular lasagna pan: ladle enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange sheets of lasagna over the sauce, breaking pieces if necessary to cover the entire surface.
• Cover the lasagna sheets with ragu with peas. I add approximately 2 ladlefuls to each layer.
• Drizzle bechamel sauce over the ragu with a spoon. Evenly sprinkle with cubed mozzarella, chopped hard-boiled eggs and a spoonful of grated Parmigiano cheese.
• Repeat with 3 more layers of pasta adding hard-boiled eggs to each layer except the top layer.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and broil for a minute or two until the mozzarella is golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot.

LE LASAGNE AUTENTICHE SICILIANE SUPREME

Steps:

• Prepare the lasagna noodles according to package directions.
• Drain and set aside.
• Cook the ground beef and sausage.
• Drain off the grease.
• Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the meat/sausage mixture.
• Saute until onion is tender.
• Add the sugar, salt, basil, fennel seed, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Blend well. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, parsley and salt. Blend well.
• In the bottom of a very large baking pan, spread just enough of the meat mixture to cover the bottom.
• Layer lasagna noodles, meat sauce, black olives, ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, asiago cheese and parmesan cheese.
• Repeat layering making sure to end with the parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for 25 additional minutes.