I brought this book home from BookExpo. With our trip to Italy coming closer and closer (May will soon be here), it seems like the perfect time to bring it out and try a few recipes.
What about lasagna? I felt like I have a pretty strong lasagna recipe, but let's see if Nonna can improve it.
Mama Rosa's Lasagna
For the Sauce:
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Empty container of tomatoes & sauce into a food mill or blender and puree... set aside
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In a pot, add 3-4 tablespoons of EVOO heat and then add the chopped onions until translucent then add the puree sauce.
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Add 1 teapoon of sugar and season with salt & peper. Cook for about 15 mins.
For the Meat:
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In a frying pan cook the chop meat. Break up the chop meat & cook until brown and drain.
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Add the cooked chop meat to the sauce and cook for another 10 mins.
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When done, set aside.
For the Pasta:
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Put water in a 5 Qt pot and add 1 tbsp salt to it and bring water to a rapid boil.
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Add the pasta 2 pieces at a time and stir gently until all the pasta is in the pot.
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Return to a rapid boil.
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Cook uncovered and stirring gently occasionally for about 10 minutes. Drain well.
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Separated cooked lasagna and lay each one on wax paper to keep from sticking together.
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In the 13 X 9 inch baking pan spread some meat sauce on bottom of pan.
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Place about 4-5 pcs of the cooked pasta lenghtwise over the sauce, overlapping edges.
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Place a little bit of sauce on top of the pasta, then spoon some ricotta all over the pasta and then sprinkle the mozzarella over it.
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Cover with some meat sauce and then sprinke the grated cheese.
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Keep on repeating the pasta, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, meat sauce and grated cheese until you reach the top of the baking pan. Cover pan with foil.
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Place tray of Lasagna into the oven that has been pre heated at 375.
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Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
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After pan is taken out of the oven, put foil back on the pan and let it stand for about 5-10 mins before serving.
- Empty container of tomatoes & sauce into a food mill or blender and puree... set aside
- In a pot, add 3-4 tablespoons of EVOO heat and then add the chopped onions until translucent then add the puree sauce.
- Add 1 teapoon of sugar and season with salt & peper. Cook for about 15 mins.For the Meat:
- In a frying pan cook the chop meat. Break up the chop meat & cook until brown and drain.
- Add the cooked chop meat to the sauce and cook for another 10 mins.
- When done, set aside.For the Pasta:
- Put water in a 5 Qt pot and add 1 tbsp salt to it and bring water to a rapid boil.
- Add the pasta 2 pieces at a time and stir gently until all the pasta is in the pot.
- Return to a rapid boil.
- Cook uncovered and stirring gently occasionally for about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- Separated cooked lasagna and lay each one on wax paper to keep from sticking together.
- In the 13 X 9 inch baking pan spread some meat sauce on bottom of pan.
- Place about 4-5 pcs of the cooked pasta lenghtwise over the sauce, overlapping edges.
- Place a little bit of sauce on top of the pasta, then spoon some ricotta all over the pasta and then sprinkle the mozzarella over it.
- Cover with some meat sauce and then sprinke the grated cheese.
- Keep on repeating the pasta, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, meat sauce and grated cheese until you reach the top of the baking pan. Cover pan with foil.
- Place tray of Lasagna into the oven that has been pre heated at 375.
- Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
- After pan is taken out of the oven, put foil back on the pan and let it stand for about 5-10 mins before serving.
My thoughts? Honestly, this recipe for lasagna is almost exactly like the recipe for lasagna I have always made. There really were no significant taste differences or differences in appearance.
Nonna, I'll give you one more chance. Next week I'll try pizza.
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We stick to the old recipe we got out of the Good Housekeeping cookbook, you just can't go wrong with it.
ReplyDeleteI will stick with my old lasagna recipe, too.
DeleteI will try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteHappy WW!
I too have a recipe I rely on, but this looks good too.
ReplyDeleteNo-boil lasagne noodles really are much easier! And end up the same flavor.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
You are right, but I've never gotten in the habit of buying no-boil lasagna noodles. I don't know why.
DeleteI love that you are comparing your current recipes to the book's.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed that there wasn't an improvement over what I already use.
DeleteWe have a Nona who is also a fabulous cook. I've frequently said I was going to publish a cookbook called Cooking With Nonna- looks like someone beat me to it!
ReplyDeleteI don't make lasagna often, but when I do it's an extremely simplified version, and I like to make the pasta using big "handkerchief" squares. The easiest pasta you can make.
ReplyDeleteLooks interesting. It's a while since I cooked lasagne, but maybe I'll give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI feel a bit silly. I went and googled what EVOO heat was.
ReplyDeleteI make lasagna but use the dried sheets and it always turns out tasty.
And since I just read your Pizza post, I know that Nonna got a winner, in that one!!!! :-))))
ReplyDeleteI used to have a recipe for a fifteen ingredient lasagna, but My Better Half declared he liked Stauffer's frozen lasagna better. Go figure!
ReplyDelete