Lasagna is one of the most beloved Italian dishes and Aida shares two of her favorite recipes. First, her family’s Sweet Sausage and Three Cheese Lasagna. Then a unique Pesto Lasagna that everyone will love.
Yield: 12 to 15 servings/10 cups sauce
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 85 minutes
InActive Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ease of Preparation: intermediate
Total Preparation Time: 35 Minutes
Total Time: 120 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
- 1/2 pound lean ground pork
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 (28-ounce) containers crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 medium dried bay leaves
- For the lasagna:
- 1 (9-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese, low-moisture or fresh, thinly sliced
- 2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces)
Method
- For the meat sauce: Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onion and garlic, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until just softened. Add sausage and ground pork and stir to break up meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat starts to color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate browned bits, until the alcohol smell is cooked off. Add tomatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and season well with freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well mixed and tomatoes start to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- For the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees F and arrange rack in middle.
- Spread 2 cups sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over sauce, top with 2 cups sauce and spread it evenly over the noodles. Evenly dollop 1/4 of the ricotta across the sauce, top with 1/4 of the mozzarella, and sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cover with foil and bake until liquids are bubbling and noodles are beginning to soften, about 40 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking until top is golden brown and noodles are completely tender, about 20 minutes more. Allow to rest 20 minutes before cutting.