Beef and Sausage Lasagne: Books : gourmet.com

Books

Serves10

Active time:45 min
Start to finish:2 hr

FROM THE GOURMET COOKBOOK

January 2009

The flavor of beef, the binding qualities of veal, and the succulence of pork sausage combine to make this meat lasagne wonderfully light and juicy.

Watch food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez demonstrate how to make your own fresh ricotta.

For sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground veal
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juice reserved
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For filling

1 pound fresh ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For assembling

16 oven-ready (“no-boil”) lasagna noodles (two 9-ounce packages)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3/4 ounce)
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated

Make sauce:

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in sausage, beef, and veal and cook, stirring and breaking up larger pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Make filling:

Stir together ricotta, egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl until combined.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Oil a 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

Assemble lasagna:

Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in baking dish. Arrange 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping, over sauce, then spread one third of ricotta mixture, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1 1/4 cups sauce over noodles. Top with 4 more noodles and spread with one third of ricotta mixture and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Top with 4 more noodles and remaining ricotta mixture, and 1 1/4 cups sauce. Top with remaining 4 noodles, then spread with remaining sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Cover lasagna with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is bubbling and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.