My Nonna was actually an awful cook, but luckily Mt zias (aunts) were wonderful cooks. I couldn’t replicate their dishes since the ingredients weren’t available for the longest time, although I see more imported Italian staples now.
I’ve made this lasagna many times - it has 5 stars and almost 10k reviews, so maybe it lives up to it’s name as the World’s Best Lasagna (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/23600/worlds-best-lasagna/). It’s heavy on the sauce and light on the ricotta, but people I have over seem to like it better than the more cheesy one I throw together. The sauce is really good and I use it on pasta too.
I made extra Bolognese sauce the other day and just layered the Bolognese with lasagna noodles and bechamel for something like a pasticciata that my Zia Graziella used to make. She had a Barbie-sized kitchen and cooked the most scrumptious meals for 10-12.
That looks like the same one that Califreak posted! It’s definitely a ‘must try’ now, with even our Freepers endorsing!
Thank You!
-JT
As you said, I find the lasagna goes over big when I pile on the meat sauce and go light on the cheese.
A forkful of the unctuous meat sauce, maybe a bit of pasta and cheese clinging to it, is over the top.
Just have to make sure the meat sauce is nicely seasoned, is reduced to a thick sauce, and is chockfull of meat.
The best lasagna is with freshly made lasagna noodles. If I can’t make them from scratch, the Barilla lasagna noodles are the next best thing.
When I make mine, I use this ricotta mixture:
2 lbs of fresh whole milk ricotta, 2 large eggs, salt to taste, fresh parsley, minced, parmesan cheese and mozzarella.
I layer it in between noodles, tomato sauce, more parmesan and more mozzarella and repeat. I use homemade Marinara or Bolognese sauce, which I just posted a recipe for.
One of my husband’s favorite ways to have it is with vegetables. I sauté the following with garlic and olive oil and add in between lasagna noodles and ricotta:
zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower. If I have fresh spinach leaves, I throw some in layers, uncooked.
If you want the top recipe meatier, just add more sautéed meat mixed in with the tomato sauce. It’s all good :)