11. Lasagna

Lasagne originated in Italy, traditionally ascribed to the city of bologna , where the first modern recipe was created and published and became a traditional dish. Traditional lasagne is made by interleaving layers of pasta with layers of sauce, made with . In other regions and outside of Italy it is common to find lasagne made with ricotta or mozarella cheese, tomato sauce, various meats (e.g., ground beef, pork or chicken), miscellaneous vegetables (e.g., spinach, zucchini, mushrooms) and typically flavored with wine, garlic, onion, and oregano. In all cases the lasagne are oven-baked.

Emilia-Romagna’s intensive farming economy in the northern region of Italy results in plentiful dairy and meat products, and their commonality in regional cooking – more so than the olive oil found in southern regions of Italy. Pastas from Emilio-Romano and its capital, Bologna, are almost always served with a ragu, a thick sauce made from ingredients such as onions, carrots, finely chopped pork and beef, .

ingridient

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
 3/4 pound lean ground beef
 1/2 cup minced onion
 2 cloves garlic, crushed
 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
 1/2 cup water
 2 tablespoons white sugar
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
 1 tablespoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
 12 lasagna noodles
 16 ounces ricotta cheese
 1 egg
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


how to cook:

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.