Lasagna

Here is the outline for making lasagna. I just reread it and it’s totally disorganized as a recipe. But it does work as a tutorial of sorts on choices for lasagne. 

If you want something a bit more prescriptive, this is a great recipe https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/ and if you Google “worlds best lasagna” you will find videos and comments for the Allrecipes.com” recipe. 

Now! You have to prepare these parts and then layer them in a casserole dish with noodles covered with cheese on top:

Pasta

Sauce

Grated Cheese

Cheesy Filling

Meat (optional)

Vegetables (optional) but you need either meat or vegetables

The Parts

• Pasta 
• I usually make the pasta. For one large lasagna, I use about 500 grams of flour, 5 large eggs, 2 tsp olive oil, and 1 tsp salt. When you make it you might need to add a little flour or water to adjust the consistency for the pasta machine. I use 2/3 all purpose flour and 1/3 semolina flour. Don’t roll them out too thin. My machine has 1 as the thinnest. They seem to work well at 3. If you prepare the noodles ahead, you will need to cook them in boiling water. If they are very fresh, I just put them in uncooked.
• You can alternatively use a pound of lasagna noodles which will need to be prepared according to the package. Remember to cook them less than for other types of pasta as they will be cooking in the lasagna for an additional time.
• Sauce - you can use the sauce recipe In this food blog but be sure to add a tsp of whole fennel seeds. Alternatively, some pre-prepared tomato sauce from the grocers.
• Grated cheese - You will need 8-12 ounces of grated mozzarella though some can be substituted with fresh mozzarella chunks. You will also need a few ounces of grated parmesan or similar cheese finely ground.
• Cheesy filling 
• Some people like to use a white sauce made with olive oil, flour, cream and parmesan cheese. Make it thicker than you would for a gravy or sauce.
• Or stir together some ricotta or cottage cheese, chopped spinach, chopped herbs (basil and parsley are my favorites), garlic powder (not garlic salt) and some parmesan cheese.
• Meat - My favorite, if I’m using meat, is half italian sausage and half hamburger.
• Vegetables - Squash is my favorite for lasagna. I don’t like to mix meat and vegetables. You can also use spinach, eggplant, mushrooms or your imagination. (It is best to steam the vegetables or roast them to reduce the water in them. If you don’t, your lasagna willl be too soupy.)

Assembly

I use a large casserole dish, bigger than a standard 9x13 inch. You can use any size you want. You will need to do multiples if smaller. I suggest you just make one and then make another for the freezer if you have ingredients left.

1. First you spray some oil on the pan to make it easier to clean and easier to get the lasagna out.
2. Then you need a layer of sauce. Start with a 1/2 cup and add a little if it doesn’t spread over the whole bottom.
3. Then you need the bottom layer of noodles. Use the ugly noodles for the bottom. There are always some that get broken in the box or in the preparation. You want to completely cover the bottom of the dish from side to side and end to end. Overlap if it helps fit them together but there is no true need to overlap the inner layers of noodles.
4. Add a second layer of sauce.
5. A meat or vegetable layer is next. Spread it evenly over the saucy noodles. Make sure every slice that gets cut out of the finished lasagna will have its fair share of meat.
6. Spread a sprinkling of grated mozzarella (or small chunks of fresh mozzarella) over the meat or vegetables.
7. Add another layer of noodles. After adding a noodle layer its a good time to pat down the whole surface to level it and ease the air out of the lower layers. Make it compact but not pressed too hard.
8. Add another very thin layer of sauce. All these sauce layers should be thin.
9. Now we need the layer of cheesy filling. It doesn’t matter which type you use. That’s why the sauce needed to be thin underneath it. Spoon it around and then spread carefully to an even thickness. Again the filling needs to go from side to side and end to end.
10. Cover with a layer of noodles. If you choose, this could be the top layer so make the noodles pretty here. Use your largest pieces. Cut them to fit right to the edge of the dish. You can run them the long way or across the dish. That doesn’t matter. Try to not leave gaps between the noodles or around the edges. (If you choose to add more layers, no need to keep the noodles so neat.)
11. Now you need to make some choices. If your pan is deep enough you might be able to add a layer or more. These layers are your choice. You put some sauce first and then fillings on top of the previous layer of noodles. Sprinkle a bit of grated mozzarella (or chunks of fresh mozzarella) and then cover with noodles. That’s a layer. You can add another layer of meat, or vegetables. I like a layer with cooked spinach. Squeeze out the juices. Spread it evenly. Don’t forget sauce below and mozzarella above the spinach but under the noodles. Pat down every layer of noodles to keep the contents of the dish compact. You can double up any of the types of layers if you have room in the pan. Want more meat? Add another layer. Want more noodles? Add a layer with only sauce and grated mozzarella. 
12. Do not over fill the dish. You need a minimum of 1/4 inch left empty at the top of the dish so it won’t overflow in the oven.
13. On top of the last layer of noodles spread a bit of sauce and then some grated cheese. Cover with grated mozzarella. A few chunks of fresh mozzarella here and there look nice and taste good. On top of the soft cheese I always grate a bit of parmesan over the very top. I sprinkle a bit of dry basil after that to make it prettier.
14. Use a lid if the dish has one. Mine don’t so I use some foil. Ive found a few whole olives will help keep the foil away from the cheese. It also helps avoid sticking if you spray oil on the inside of the foil.
15. Option: At this point you can keep it in the freezer or refrigerator for a while. Use good sense and don’t leave it too long. Also don’t forget to thaw before cooking. A full lasagna takes a long time to thaw. If it’s cold or frozen when you put it in the oven, it will take a lot longer to cook.
16. How to cook it? Again there are choices. What you want is to have the entire contents of the dish visibly simmering as viewed from the sides. That lasagna will be done. To be more precise, I put a newly made, non-refrigerated, non-frozen lasagna in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Then I remove the foil and let the cheese get a little browning. It may need more time but nothing in there is raw or inedible so all we really need is for it all to be hot and the cheese to melt.

The Meat

• 1 lb italian sausage - mild, sweet or hot, skin removed if any
• 3/4 to 1 lb hamburger - any ratio you like to use as we will drain the oil after cooking

In a skillet on a medium burner, brown the meat. I brown in two batches to make sure all the meat can get cooked.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard the oil left in the pan.

Set aside until ready to assemble the lasagna. (Refrigerate if you need to do this ahead of time.)

The Cheesy Filling

Stir together in a medium mixing bowl:

• 16 oz ricotta or cottage cheese (I prefer the latter, large curd)
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
• 1 egg - beaten
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan 
• (optional) 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)

Store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the lasagna.

The Squash

If you are using squash in the lasagna, you will want to cook it first. I like zucchini or the small grey squashes called calabasita around here. You can steam it, sauté it, broil it on a cookie sheet in the oven or air fryer or boil it. My favorite way is to steam it. The issue we have is that raw squash has a tremendous amount of water in the tissues. If you put raw squash in a lasagna it will end up as soup after cooking.

Slice into rounds:

• 2 or 3 medium (1 1/2 to 2 inch diameter) zucchini - 1/4 inch slices
• a pinch of salt and pepper sprinkled over squash

Add some water in a pan and put it over heat. Use the steamer of your choice and fill it with the sliced zucchini. (Other soft squashes work. I haven’t tried the harder squashes.)

Set aside for use during assembly. Refrigerate if that’s going to be a while.

The Spinach

Sauté in a skillet (perhaps the one you used to brown the meat once the oil is discarded):

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• spinach - 2 bunches of fresh spinach or equivalent amount of bagged up spinach leaves OR a package of frozen spinach.
• Optional - 3 peeled whole garlic cloves (not chopped)

Cook until the spinach is softened and has cooked off the liquids

Spread on paper towels or drain in a sieve.

Again, set aside for use during assembly. Refrigerate if that’s going to be a while.

The Sauce

We need about 6 cups tomato sauce with onion, garlic, basil and fennel. Other spices are ok. This can be homemade and there is a recipe in this food blog that only needs a tsp of whole fennel added to work. A jarred or canned marinara type sauce will work too.

Six cups will allow some to be served with the finished lasagna to pour over the top of your slice.

Link https://flatlandfood.blogspot.com/2010/12/tomato-sauce-for-pizza-spaghetti.html

The Pasta

Make your own pasta or buy lasagna noodles. About a pound will be needed.