Title: Baked Lasagne [Lasagne Al Forno]
Categories: Pasta Entree Cheese Italian
Yield: 8 Servings
| RAGU SAUCE |
| 1 | cn | Tomatoes, crushed |
| 1 | lb | Chopped meat ** |
| 4 | tb | Olive oil |
| 1 | | Onion, medium |
| 1 | | Garlic clove |
| | | Basil leaves, to taste |
| 1/2 | c | Red wine |
| 1 | cn | Tomato paste |
| 1 | c | Water or Beef Stock |
| 1 | | Bay leaf |
| 1/2 | ts | Cocoa |
| 1/2 | ts | Sugar |
| END OF SAUCE |
| 1 | lb | Lasagne |
| 6 | qt | Water, or as required |
| 2 | lb | Ricotta |
| 1/2 | lb | Mozzarella |
| 3 | tb | Romano cheese, grated |
| | | Salt, to taste |
| | | Pepper, to taste |
** Use either all beef or beef and pork combined.
1. Prepare ragu sauce as follows (this may be done previously): Chop
onion, basil and garlic together in almost a paste. Heat a heavy pot over
medium heat for a minute or two. Add oil and meat and saute until well
browned. Remove meat from pot and lower heat to low. Add onion-
garlic-basil mixture and saute until it just begins to color. Add tomato
paste and wine, stir to disolve. Add tomatoes, water, bay leaf, cocoa, and
sugar and stir in. Return meat to pot, bring to a simmer, and simmer for
one hour, until the meat is very tender. Remove bay leaf and taste for salt
and pepper.
2. Bring water to boil, add salt, and cook lasagne according to
directions. Drain lasagne.
3. Shred or cut mozzarella into long pieces. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Put a little oil and a few tablespoons of the ragu sauce in the bottom
of a 9"x13"x2" baking dish. Put in a bottom layer of lasagne. Put in about
a third of the ricotta and mozzarella. Add some sauce and spread evenly
over the lasagne. Add another layer of lasagne. Continue to add layers of
cheeses, sauce, and lasagne, ending with a layer of lasagne. Add sauce to
the top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil and
crimp the foil around the edges of the dish. Bake in preheated oven for 20
minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.