Lasagna

I have been working on a recipe for lasagna for a while now and Charlie said this was the best he has ever had.  Cassie took a bite, looked at me, smiled and did a thumbs up.  Charlie wanted me to put down the recipe exactly like I made it so here it is.

Norm’s variation on Patsy’s lasagna 

Bechamel sauce for Lasagna

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups chicken stock

           4T butter

           4T flour

           Coarse salt

Melt butter and stir in flour, cook a couple of mintues.  Add chicken stock a littl at a time, then add cream.  Let thicken. Add Wondra if too thin, some more cream or stock if too thick. Let cool to room temperature.

 MEAT FILLING FOR LASAGNA

 1medium onions, finely chopped

 3 cloves cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds sweet or mild bulk Italian sausage Don’t use Eckridge

 1 1/2  pounds ground beef

  3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

 Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil, for frying

Heat oil and add onions, garlic and cook until soft. Add meats and cook until done but not browned. When almost done, add remaining ingredients and finish cooking.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Cheese filling for lasagna

 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, ( used 1/4 C. dried)

 1 package Philadelphia/ mozzarella,

 30 oz Kroger whole milk  ricotta cheese

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 1  package lasagna sheets (4 inches-by-8 inches) or two boxes store bought, cooked according to package directions........ Coarse salt

1 bottle Barelli marinara pasta sauce

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable about 10 minutes

 Preheat oven to 400°. Pour 1/4C. sauce into a shallow baking dish

Like bottom with three or 4 sheets lasagna noodles

add half of meat sauce to top of noodles, add 1/3 of cheese mixture, 1/2 of white sauce and 1/3 of remaining tomato sauce.

Repeat layers ending with noodles, top with remaining cheese mixture, remaining tomato sauce and a full package of regular mozzarella cheese

Cover with foil and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncover, raise temp. to 450, insert thermometer and continue baking until internal temp is 160 and top cheese is browned.  Let sit 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving.  I placed the lasagna pan in another pan with some water and placed both on a rimmed cookie sheet during all the cooking time.