Lasagna, House Of Carlo
Ingredients:
1 box lasagna noodles
1 ½ lbs of hamburger
16 oz ricotta cheese
8 oz Mozzarella cheese - grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
14 oz of your favorite marinara sauce(* This is mine)
1 onion - diced
4 cloves garlic - chopped up very small
4 sliced fresh mushrooms
2 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
dash pepper
dash basil
Instructions:
In a large pot, set water to boil. Meanwhile, brown burger, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Add marinara and set aside.
Mix cheeses and eggs in a separate bowl with parsley and spices. Save back about ¼ of the Mozzarella for the top.
When water in pot is boiling add the lasagna noodles. You typically do not need to wait until the noodles are edible because they will be cooked in the oven as well. When noodles are ready (8 minutes or so) begin layering the various mixtures in a 9X13 pan. Start with the burger mixture; then add the cheese, then the noodles. Keep layering until you run out of ingredients. Add the reserved Mozzarella last.
Cover dish with foil and pop into oven at 375 degrees for an hour or so. If you want to harden off the top, pull off the foil for the last 15 minutes.
*Quick MUSHROOM PASTA SAUCE
Ingredients:
1/2 a medium sized onion, chopped
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms that have been soaking in about 1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup regular white mushrooms, chopped but not too finely
1/2 cup cream
2 tblsp butter
1/4 cup tomato paste
salt to taste
Marsala to taste (optional)
Instructions:
Soak porcini mushrooms in water for about 1/2 hour until re-hydrated. Remove from water and chop them. SAVE the water they soaked in and run it through a filter to filter out dirt or other “foreign” object that may have been stuck on the porcinis. Melt butter in pan and saute onion until translucent. Add regular and porcini mushrooms and saute with onion. Add porcini water and cream and simmer until sauce begins to thicken a bit. Add salt. About 5 minutes before it’s done, add tomato
paste. Also, now’s the time to add the marsala if you want it, but the sauce will need to simmer a bit longer to boil away the extra liquid.
GREEN GODDESS SALAD DRESSING
(4 servings)
Rub the salad bowl with a garlic clove, then add
2 cups of freshly made mayonnaise
4 minced anchovy fillets
1 green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped flat Italian parsley
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 Tablespoon tarragon vinegar (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon dried OR 1 teaspoon cut, fresh tarragon
Stir well and pour over salad greens, watercress, or seafood salad.
Broccoli Lasagna
This is the home version of our family restaurant recipe... really creamy, and a wonderful change if you have never had a vegetarian lasagna.
12 oz lasagna noodles — (wide)
2 Tbls salad oil
1 1/2 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
20 oz frozen broccoli, or spinach
2-3 c tomato sauce
16 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 Tbls fresh parsley, chopped, or 1/4 dry
1/4 c sour cream
12 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain, then toss with oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Cook broccoli according to package directions. Drain. Combine ricotta cheese, parsley and sour cream.
Arrange half of the noodles in a 12 x 8 baking dish. Cover with half of broccoli and sauce, then a layer of cheese.
Add another layer of noodles, topped with broccoli, sauce and cheese., then add all of the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining noodles and add sauce to cover.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
About 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and is golden on top.