Lasagna

I was tempted to try out a new lasagna recipe but then I remembered the last one I made and shared with some niece and all the comments her family and from Charlie so I chickened out and did the old one again.

July 2014. Charlie said it’s perfect. Cassie said it is best one so far.

Béchamel

 1 C. heavy cream

 1 C. chicken stock

 2 T. butter (3 T.)

 2 T. flour ( 3 heaping T.) 

(add salt) 

( + a little nutmeg) 

Melt butter, stir in flour.  Add heated chicken broth a little at a time.  Add heated cream, whisking often, bring to boil and let thicken.  Set  aside.

Meat filling

1 med. onion,chopped

3 cl. garlic, minced

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (1 3/4 lbs)

3T. fresh chopped italian parsley

3 T. fresh chopped oregano

1 1/2 lb. mild or sweet Italian sausage (1 lb. Hy Vee plain bratwurst -4 wursts, skinned)

1 1/2 C. grated Pecorino Romano cheese

salt and pepper

Oil for frying

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft.  Add meats and cook until done but not browned.  Stir in cheese, parsley and oregano.  Set aside

Cheese filling

1 1/3 C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C. fresh chopped basil

1 1/2 -2 packages fresh mozzarella

16 oz. whole milk ricotta (13 oz + approx.  4 oz cottage cheese)

Marinara pasta sauce (from a Jar)

Package shredded mozzarella

12 lasagna noodles, cooked (only needed 9)

Preheat oven to 400.  Put some marinara on bottom of lasagna pan.  Put 4 lasagna (3 noodles per layer is all the pan would hold) noodles on bottom, overlapping each one.  Add half the meat mixture, 1/2 the béchamel, 1/3 the parmesan, 1/2 the basil, 1/3 the ricotta and 1/3 the marinara

Make second layer like the first and top with last 4 noodles.  Top with last of the sauce, and last of the ricotta.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Turn oven up to 450.  Remove foil add shredded mozzarella and cook until browned and bubbling, about 15 minutes.  Broil a couple minutes at the end if needed for browning. 

Let set 20 minutes, cut and serve.