Jan 13, 2015  Classic Lasagna is easy and when you use fresh, whole milk cheese it takes it way over the top. This wholesome recipe is so full of flavor that you won't want to make it any other way - I promise. This wholesome recipe is so full of flavor that you won't want to make it any other way. Once you get to the final layer, top with remaining 1 cup of meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Shake on the parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and change oven to broil. Cook lasagna until bubbling and top is browned and crisp around the edges, about another 5 minutes, and remove from oven. EASY Classic Lasagna Recipe is filled with layers of creamy ricotta cheese, sausage and spinach that's easily sliceable and ready to enjoy. This Classic Lasagna Recipe is a comfort food staple, filled with Italian sausage, spinach and a cheesy ricotta filling, you'll fall in love with every bite.

Craig Lee for The New York Times

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot (optional), casings removed
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

For the assembly:

• Kosher salt
• 1 ½ pounds fresh mozzarella, grated or shredded into small pieces
• 16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta
• 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling on top (optional)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound dried lasagna noodles (not the no-boil variety)
• Olive oil

• Nutritional Information

Preparation

1. Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sausage, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s starting to brown but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes.
2. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the tomato paste has turned a deeper brick red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
3. Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces and add them and the crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill one of the tomato cans halfway with water and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Make the lasagna: Heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large pot of salted water to boil.
5. Set aside 1 cup mozzarella. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan and cream; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Cook lasagna noodles in the large pot of salted boiling water until just softened (before they are even aldente), about 4 minutes. Drain and separate any noodles that are trying to stick together, slicking them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking further.
7. Spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with a layer of noodles, avoiding any heavy overlap.
8. Top with about 1 ¼ cups of sauce, and dollop ¼ of the cheese mixture over. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat three more times, ending with the last of the noodles (depending on size of the noodle/shape of the baking dish, you may have a few extra noodles) and the last of the sauce. Top with reserved 1 cup mozzarella and more Parmesan, if you like.
9. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (to prevent any overflow from burning on the bottom of your oven).
10. Bake until pasta is completely tender and cooked through and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue to bake until lasagna is golden brown on top with frilly, crispy edges and corners, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium red onions, finely diced
• 2 large cloves minced garlic
• 8 ounces pancetta, diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups good red wine, preferably Italian
• 2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ pound ground sirloin
• ¼ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
• 2 eggs
• 10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
• 2 large whole cloves garlic
• ½ cup flour
• 1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet

For the lasagna:

Cooking Classic Cheese Lasagna Download Without

• 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 pound mozzarella, grated
• 16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria

Easy 4 Cheese Lasagna

• Nutritional Information

Preparation

1. For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
2. Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
4. In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
6. Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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