Drop Dead Lasagna

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I don't go crazy during Thanksgiving except to bring a few dishes to my parent's house so it was a good time to take a blogging break. Christmas, however, is a whole 'nother story!

I make this lasagna every year for Christmas dinner at my house. It's special for the holiday in terms of taste & effort & the whole family loves it!

Tyler Florence says this is the old-school lasagna that you find in the Italian restaurants in Brooklyn. Fuggedaboudit! You can assemble the lasagna ahead of time...& it's great for leftovers.

DROP-DEAD LASAGNA

Printable Recipe

1 lb lasagna noodles
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 tblsp fennel seeds
1/2 tblsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tblsp dried oregano
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
Salt & Pepper
2 lb ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 lbs shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups Marinara Sauce (see notes)
Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Fill a large pasta pot with water & place over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt & bring to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for only 8 minutes; they should still be somewhat firm, as they will continue to cook when you bake the lasagna. Drain the noodles in a colander & rinse them quickly under cool water to stop the cooking process. Drizzle some olive oil so the sheets don't stick together, then set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat & drizzle with 2 tblsp of olive oil. Sauté the onion, garlic & bay leaf for a couple of minutes, until the onions are translucent & smell sweet. Add the ground beef & pork, stirring to break it up & cook until the meat is thoroughly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the excess fat. Combine the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, brown sugar & dried oregano in a spice mill or a coffee grinder, give it a whirl & sprinkle on the browned meat. Stir in the tomato paste until well blended; season with salt & pepper. Take the pan off the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta & Parmigiano cheeses. Fold in the parsley, basil & eggs, season with salt & pepper. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350. Take inventory of the components you should have: slightly cooked lasagna noodles, seasoned meat mixture, ricotta cheese filling, 2 pounds of mozzarella cheese, a pot of sauce & a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Let the layering begin.

Start by ladling enough sauce into the dish to cover the bottom; this prevents the lasagna from sticking. Layer 1 -- the noodles: slightly overlap 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise so they completely cover the bottom with no gaps.

Here is a little tip I swear by: if you take 2 lasagna noodles & line the short ends of the pan, they will act as brackets or a wall to give the lasagna support when you cut it (see pic below)

Layer 2 -- the meat: spread half the meat mixture on top of the noodles with a spatula. The meat mixture, being the most solid element, will act as a foundation.

Layer 3 -- the cheese: spread half the ricotta cheese mixture over the meat, smooth out with a spatula.

Note the side brackets of lasagna noodles

Then sprinkle a third of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta mixture.

Layer 4 -- the sauce: top with a full ladle of tomato sauce, about 1 cup (see notes); smooth it out with a spatula. Repeat layers 1 through 4. Finish with a final layer of noodles, tomato sauce & the remaining mozzarella. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to force out any air bubbles & to compress the layers.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until golden & bubbling. Allow the lasagna to sit for 20 minutes so it doesn't ooze all over the place when you cut it into squares. Pass the extra tomato sauce & grated Parmigiano around the table.

{Food for Thought}

If you’re like me, you’ll want to have more sauce than just 4 cups. One ladle for each layer seems so little to me so I add more so the lasagna isn’t dry. And I also have extra for passing around. My favorite, if I am not up to making my own, is LaFamiglia DelGrosso. It's expensive but worth it. Last year I got lucky when they had a buy one get one free. Normally, it's $8 per jar.

The use of fennel has also become a bit of a conversation piece in my house since some people do not like it. If you have loved ones who don’t enjoy fennel I recommend cutting down the amount to 1 tsp because you can really taste the tablespoon. Lastly, you may want to increase the ricotta mixture by 50% as well. This way, you have more if you need. And if you have leftover just reserve for another use.

Tastefully linking to Blessed with Grace for Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays!