Indulge in the comforting and delicious goodness of lasagna with this versatile and flavorful recipe. Whether you opt for classic Italian-American style or experiment with vegetarian or white lasagne options, this dish is sure to please every palate. The heart of this lasagne lies in the tender pasta layers, which can be prepared using fresh spinach pasta or any pasta of your choice. Topped with layers of rich béchamel sauce, meat sauce, and Parmesan cheese, this lasagne is a true crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for family gatherings or special occasions. The variations provided offer exciting twists on the classic recipe, allowing you to customize the lasagne to suit your taste and dietary preferences. Easy to prepare and exceptionally delicious, this lasagne recipe is sure to become a favorite in your culinary repertoire.
MAKES: About 6 servings
TIME: 45 minutes with prepared sauce
INGREDIENTS:
- Salt
- 1 recipe Fresh Spinach Pasta or other fresh pasta or dried lasagne noodles (about 1 pound)
- 1 recipe Béchamel Sauce, about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened, or extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups, more or less, Meat Sauce, Bolognese Style
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring at least 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add salt to it. If using homemade fresh pasta, roll it out, ensuring the ribbons are 26 inches long and cut them in half to fit your 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Cook the pasta a few at a time until they are underdone (fresh pasta requires about a minute, and dried pasta may take a few minutes). Drain them carefully and lay them flat on towels. If you haven’t prepared the béchamel sauce yet, do so now. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Smear the bottom of the baking pan with butter or oil, then layer the noodles without overlapping. Trim any overhanging edges. Add about one-quarter each of béchamel, meat sauce, and Parmesan over the noodles. Sprinkle a light layer of black pepper between the meat sauce and Parmesan. Repeat this process for three more layers, ending with a sprinkling of Parmesan.
- At this point, you can refrigerate the dish, well wrapped, for a day or freeze it for up to a month (defrost in the refrigerator before cooking, if possible).
- Bake the lasagne for about 20 to 30 minutes until it becomes bubbly. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Alternatively, let it cool, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month.
VARIATIONS:
- Vegetarian Lasagne: Substitute 3 cups Mushroom Sauce or any vegetarian tomato sauce for the Meat Sauce, Bolognese Style.
- Classic Lasagne, Italian-American Style: Omit the béchamel. On each layer of the first 3 layers of noodles, spread about 1 cup ricotta (thinned, if necessary, with some sauce). Top the ricotta with meat sauce, mozzarella, and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Omit the ricotta on the top layer.
- White Lasagne: Omit the meat sauce and double the béchamel. Add ham and sautéed mushrooms and/or spinach (cooked and squeezed) among the layers.
- Pesto Lasagne: Substitute Traditional Pesto for all or half of the sauce; use Fast Tomato Sauce instead of the meat sauce if necessary. Also, use 2 cups ricotta in place of the béchamel. Alternate layers of pesto and tomato sauce if not using all pesto.
