Lasagna With Ricotta And Tomato Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Prepare meat sauce: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground sirloin and sausage; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Add olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add onion and salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; stir until well combined. Stir in cooked meat and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in basil and parsley.
• While sauce is simmering prepare bechamel: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Whisk in milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and whisk in ricotta until smooth. Let stand 10 minutes.
• At the same time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook 12 lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spoon 1/2 cup meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish. Place 4 noodles across sauce. Spoon 1/3 of remaining meat sauce over noodles. Add 1/2 of the bechamel sauce, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers once more. Top with remaining 4 noodles, remaining sauce, and remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional fresh basil leaves.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you prepare the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. Tear the leaves from the stems and wash thoroughly in two changes of water. Discard the stems or set aside for another purpose.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the Swiss chard leaves. Boil 1 minute (from the time the water comes back to a boil), until tender but still bright green, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set aside. Cook the lasagna noodles in the same pot of water if not using no-boil lasagna. Remove from the pot and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl.
• In a wide, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprig, and salt (begin with 1/2 teaspoon and add more later), and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, until thick, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the amount of juice in the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove the basil sprig. Stir in the Swiss chard and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a square or rectangular baking dish (no bigger than 2-quart) and line the bottom with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half the ricotta over the noodles and half the tomato-chard sauce over the ricotta. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the tomato-chard sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top with the remaining ricotta and tomato-chard sauce, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes, or until bubbling and the pasta is tender. Uncover, allow to sit for 5 minutes, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add stock. Simmer until saucelike, about 1 minute. Add remaining cup tomatoes. Cook until warm, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
• Toss pasta in skillet to coat. Stir in basil, reserving some for garnish.
• Divide pasta among 4 plates. Top with any remaining sauce. Dot with ricotta, and drizzle with remaining teaspoon oil. Top with shaved cheese and remaining basil. Sprinkle with pepper.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over moderate heat in large suacepan.
• Add onions, stir and cover.
• Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.
• Using a food mill, puree plum tomatoes directly into the pan.
• Add 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to about 4 1/2 cups.
• In a small bowl mix ricotta, egg, 2 tablespoons of the parmesan, basil, remaining salt and pepper, and nutmeg.
• Stir well to combine.
• Butter generously the bottom and sides of a baking pan, 13X9 inches.
• Take 3/4 cups of tomato sauce and spread on bottom of pan.
• Place 3 lasgana noodles on bottom of pan, overlapping them slightly.
• Spread a heaping 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles.
• Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce on top of this, sprinle with a heaping 1/3 cup of mozzarella.
• Repeat this 4 times.
• Then place last 3 noodles on top and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
• This lasagna may be assembled 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered.
• Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400.
• Bake on top shelf of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Let sit 5 minutes and serve.

Steps:

• Place flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. Add eggs, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat eggs using a fork, progressively incorporating the surrounding flour to make a sticky dough. Grease your hands with some oil and knead dough for 10 minutes into a smooth and soft ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and increase heat to medium. Season with salt and cook, covered, until sauce starts to thicken, about 15 minutes. Add basil and remove from heat, but keep warm.
• Combine spinach and water in a skillet over medium heat and cook until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Return spinach to the skillet. Add Parmesan cheese, butter, and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Discard garlic and allow spinach to cool.
• Chop cooled spinach and combine with ricotta, nutmeg, salt, and pepper for the filling.
• Remove pasta dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a clean work surface into a very thin rectangle. Spread spinach filling on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all 4 sides. Roll up dough from the long side and seal well on the edges so filling won't leak out.
• Soak a large piece of parchment paper in water and squeeze out well. Wrap the lasagna roll with the damp parchment paper and tie up the ends like a piece of candy.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna roll in the boiling water for about 12 minutes. Drain. Discard parchment paper and let cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Slice the lasagna roll into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a casserole dish. Cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Dice zucchini. Coarsely chop broccoli and spinach.
• In a nonstick 12 -inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter (or margarine), cook zucchini, broccoli, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add Spinach and toss until wilted. remove skillet from heat.
• In medium bowl, with fork, mix ricotta and eggs; set aside.
• Prepare lasagna noodles as label directs. Drain.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons margarine (or butter). Stir in flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Gradually stir in milk; cook, stirring constantly until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese.
• In13-by-9-inch glass baking dish, layer half of the prepared lasagna noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, half of the vegetable mixture, and half of the mozzarella. Top with half of the sauce, then with the remaining noodles, ricotta, and vegetable mixture. Spoon remaining sauce over vegetable layer; arrange remaining mozzarella on top.
• Bake lasagna 40 to 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes for easier serving.