Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those ultimate comforting and classic dishes. Like many comfort dishes, there are so many different ways to make lasagna. Emily demonstrates how she makes her ultimate lasagna with the help of a few products from her Cuisine pantry.

In her recipe, Emily carefully builds rich Italian flavours and slowly simmers her meat sauce. She also shows us a quick trick on how to get her noodles ready, without the hassle of pre-boiling! This lasagna spares none of the cheesy, saucy and gooey pleasures of this family favourite. Get the baking dish out of the cupboard because after this episode, lasagna will surely be on your family’s dinner table soon!

Lasagna Recipe

Yields one 9 inch by 13 inch lasagna

Ingredients:

Meat Sauce

• 1lb of lean ground beef
• 1lb of Italian sausage, casing removed
• 2 tbsp of Cuisine Soyabean Oil
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 2 tbsp of minced garlic
• ¼ cup of chopped carrots
• 2 tsp of fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tsp of fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cans of tomato sauce (15oz each)
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes (28oz)
• 3 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
• 3 tsp of dried Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp of Cuisine Genuine Demerara Brown Sugar
• 3 tsp of chopped fresh basil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Ricotta filling

• 1 package of ricotta cheese (15oz)
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp of Italian season
• Salt, Black Pepper and Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

Pasta, Toppings & Cheeses

• 2 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese (8oz each)
• 8oz of grated parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ packages of lasagna sheets

Method – Preparation:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Add Cuisine Soyabean Oil, onions, garlic, carrots, parsley and thyme. Cook until soft.
2. Add minced meat and Italian sausage, using a spoon to crumble the sausage into the sauce. Cook the meat until completely brown and any liquid has evaporated. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat and add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Gently stir to combine.
4. Add the dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil. Follow with the Cuisine Genuine Demerara Brown Sugar. Gently stir to combine.
5. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and place a lid on the skillet, leaving it slightly ajar. Allow the sauce to cook and thicken. This should take about 45 minutes.
6. Finish the sauce with any remaining basil, thyme or parsley.
7. For the ricotta filling, combine the ricotta, egg and Italian seasoning. Add salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
8. To prepare the lasagna noodles, place the noodles into the lasagna baking dish. Add warm water and cover the noodles entirely. Allow the noodles to sit in the water for 25 minutes. Drain the water, pat the noodles dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Method – Assembly:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Spread a layer of meat sauce on the base of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.
3. Add a layer of the prepared lasagna noodles.
4. Spread a thin layer of the ricotta filling onto the noodles.
5. Cover the ricotta filling with an even layer of sliced mozzarella
6. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese onto the mozzarella layer
7. Repeat steps 2-6 and create another lasagna layer.
8. At this point, the last layer should be shredded parmesan.
9. To finish, add an additional layer of noodles, followed by the remainder of the meat sauce and complete by adding a final layer of mozzarella cheese.
10. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil that has been greased with Cuisine Soyabean Oil.
11. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. After the first 25 minutes, remove the foil and allow to bake for an additional 25 minutes.
12. Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow to set for 45 minutes before cutting.
13. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!