This is how I make lasagna, and I've done it this way for years. I don't make any claims on it's authenticity, but I know that everyone who eats it seems to like it. There are those who say it's the best the've had, but really, even if some eaters don't love it they're not likely to say that to my face, right?
I think my biggest breakthrough came when I discovered about 30 years ago that I didn't have to pre-cook the noodles. Pre-cooking the noodles always made the lasagna take so much longer to create, plus the slippery things broke so much easier and everything was messier. Not to mention you had another large pot to wash. Now a days you can buy "special" noodles that don't need cooking prior to making your lasagna. (Nice that the pasta companies finally figured out not cooking the noodles saved SO much time...) I have never bought them, and never will because I suspect they would cost more.
Ingredients (these are approximate since I don't exactly measure stuff.)
Meat: I like to use 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of sausage, regular or italian flavor. (Just something like Jimmy Dean or the store brand, not those Italian sausages in casings.) I can use all ground beef if I need to, but using all sausage doesn't taste right. The mixture is the best. Also, if I have a little bit of leftover pepperoni in the fridge I will occasionally dice that up and toss it in too. Brown the meat in a good sized skillet. You can also add some minced fresh onion to brown with the meat at this point.
Sauce: I use a large can of crushed tomatoes (about 28 oz) and then about 32 ounces of tomato sauce. I know a lot of people like to use tomato paste but to me it has a kind of "off" flavor. Once the meat is browned nicely, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce to the skillet. (Now you know why you needed a good sized one.)
Spices: These are "to taste" so I'll approximate the amounts. You can add these after the tomato products. Garlic: You can use fresh cloves and dice them up, but that's a lot of work and the pre-minced refrigerated stuff is just fine. Or you can use garlic powder, it's a perfectly acceptable alternative. Do not use garlic salt, the canned tomato products are already a little salty and garlic salt would make it overly salted. Use the equivalent to three or four cloves. Oregano: Use dried, about a tablespoon. Basil: Dried, about a tablespoon. Fennel seeds: about a teaspoon. Thyme: about a tablespoon. Red pepper flakes are optional, about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Once the spices are added, cover the pan, turn it down to a low simmer, and assemble the rest of your ingredients.
Pan: This recipe will make a 9 x 13 pan plus a 7 x 11 pan. Or it will make one lasagna pan. If you use the smaller pans, each will have three layers. If you use the lasagna pan, it will have four or five layers.
Cheese: I use both cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese. Some folks prefer ricotta instead of cottage cheese, but I think it's a little dry and doesn't have a lot of flavor. Not to mention it's more expensive and since I was always making this for a large family, cottage cheese was a better option for us. Occasionally I have some fresh parmesan that I'll add to the dish, but never NEVER the stuff in the green can. Ick. Get a nice, large container of the cottage cheese, and don't get the non-fat variety. I always get the good stuff for lasagna. Also, be generous with the mozzarella. No one ever complained that the lasagna was TOO cheesy.
Noodles: This will take a large box of noodles, and occasionally one or two extra noodles. I have not found that there is a difference between one brand and the next but if you have a favorite, by all means use it.
Method: Spritz the bottom of the pan with no-stick cooking spray (Pam) and place noodles in the bottom. If you're using a 9 x 13 pan, that will mean three noodles lengthwise and one noodle (with a chunk broken off) across the end. Save the chunks you break off, they'll make up one of the last parts. For the smaller pan the three noodles alone will be enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Ladle some of the sauce over the noodles, don't worry about covering every last speck. You want to make sure you have enough sauce for the entire two pans (or one large lasagna pan) and if there's extra at the end you're going to pour it over the top anyway and it'll seep into the spots it's needed. After the sauce, spoon some cottage cheese onto your lasagnas. I use plop about ten or so piles around. It'll tend to spread out when it cooks, so again don't worry about "covering" the sauce. If you do, you'll run out of cottage cheese. After the cottage cheese, cover the layer with mozzarella. Be generous but not crazy. Ta DA! Your first layer is done. For the next layer, place noodles over your mozzarella (the same number you used before) and kind of press them into place. this will distribute your ingredients a little and give you an even layer to ladle on your sauce and plop on your cottage cheese. Once your second layer of cottage cheese is plopped, sprinkle on another healthy handful or two (or three) of mozzarella and repeat for the third (and final) layer. (If you're using a lasagna pan, you will probably have enough ingredients for another layer. And maybe a fifth layer.)
Once the lasagna is assembled use a rubber spatula and pour the rest of the sauce into any nooks and crannies around the edges of the pan that you feel need a little more sauce. If you have used up all your sauce and you think there's too much empty space you have two choices. You can either add a little water to your pans (fine if you only need a few tablespoons more liquid) or you can open up another small can of tomato sauce and pour that into the corners and edges to make sure that the noodles are covered. Don't worry about spicing it up, the flavors pretty much blend together during the cooking process.
Cover the pan(s) with foil and place in an oven to bake for 1 hour at 350 or 375 degrees. After the hour, remove the foil. If the lasagna seems too moist, continue to bake without the foil for 15 minutes. Also, if you can let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes after you remove it from the oven before you serve it, it will serve much easier. (But most of the time no one can wait once it's out of the oven.)
If desired, this can be refrigerated or frozen after it's assembled and baked at a later date.
Delicious served with salad and garlic bread. (I like to use sourdough bread, real butter, and garlic. Top with fresh parmesan cheese and sprinkle with thyme, broil until butter and cheese are browned.)
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