Lasagna for two
This recipe has made a believer out of me when it comes to using no-boil noodles!
The recipe also says it generously serves two but it could readily serve four, especially with salad, garlic bread, and dessert!
CHANGES:
1. We used dried basil because the store was out of fresh basil.
2. The original recipe calls for 1/2 pound of "meatloaf mix," along with whole-milk mozzarella cheese. Things turned out just fine with lean ground beef and skim-milk mozzarella.
TIPS:
1. Prepare the sauce before preparing the cheese filling.
2. This recipe is intended to fit into a 9" x 5" bread-loaf pan.
3. Have non-stick foil available.
4. One website says NOT to freeze anything made with no-bake noodles, regardless of whether you cook the thing all the way through and THEN freeze, or if you prepare it ahead of time, freeze, thaw, and THEN cook it. Noodles turn out very mushy apparently.
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 Tbl olive oil for heating
1 small onion (sweet onion is fine)
2 garlic cloves
8 oz. lean ground beef
2 Tbl heavy cream
1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup juice from diced tomatoes (discard the rest after draining)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce or pasta sauce
1/8 tsp salt
pepper
OTHER INGREDIENTS
4 no-boil lasagna noodles (these are shorter noodles than the traditional ones)
4 oz. (1/2 cup) ricotta cheese (either whole-milk or part-skim is fine)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
4 oz. (1cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 Tbl fresh basil OR 3 tsp dried basil
1 large egg
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
PREPARATION
Sauce first. Oven to 400, with rack in the middle.
1. Mince the onion. Mince the garlic.
2. Drain the can of tomatoes, keeping 1/4 cup of the juices reserved.
3. In 2-quart sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Then add minced onion and salt and cook until softened, about 3-5 min.
4. Stir in minced garlic and cook til fragrant, about 30 secs.
5. Stir in ground beef and break the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until there is no pink in the meat.
6. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer (you may have to lower the light so it's not too hard of a simmer), and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 2 min.
7. Stir in the tomatoes, the pasta sauce, and the reserved tomato juice. Bring to a simmer and cook briefly until the flavors are blended, about 2 min.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Turn off the light under the sauce but no need to refrigerate or cover it.
CHEESE FILLING NEXT.
10. To prepare the cheese filling, first shred the mozzarella and set aside.
11. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg and then add all remaining ingredients except the mozzarella: the ricotta, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.
12. Begin making the lasagna by spreading 1/2 cup (1 ladle) of the sauce on the bottom of the pan.
13. Count out 4 noodles. Place a no-boil noodle in the center of the pan and on top of the layer of sauce. The noodle won't extend to the sides, which is fine.
14. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture onto the noodle. Don't worry about spreading it beyond the noodle's edge.
15. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of mozzarella onto the ricotta layer.
16. Spoon another 1/2 cup of sauce over the mozzarella.
17. Repeat steps 13-15 another two times: noodle + ricotta + mozzarella + sauce
18. Place the 4th noodle on top, cover with the remaining sauce (should be about a cup), and sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of mozzarella, along with a bit of extra parmesan cheese (about 2 Tbl)
19. Cover the pan tightly with non-stick foil (or oil-sprayed foil) and bake 25-30 min or until the sauce is bubbly at the edges of the pan.
20. Remove foil and continue to bake another 10-12 min, until cheese is browned in places. Let cool for 15-20 min before serving.
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