The Ultimate Lasagna
Directions
- 1Combine ground sirloin, pork sausage, and prosciutto in a bowl and shape into 5 or 6 large meat balls.
- 2Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown the meatballs for about a minute on each side in batches, not overcrowding the pan.
- 3Reduce heat, add onions and salt. Cook until translucent (5-7 minutes).
- 4Add garlic, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and crushed fennel seeds. Sauté until fragrant.
- 5Add tomato paste and stir frequently until the color turns a dark red (3-4 minutes).
- 6Deglaze the pan with red wine (or beef stock/water). Scrape up all flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 7Add San Marzano tomatoes and passata. Add a whole carrot (to absorb acidity and add sweetness). Stir in butter.
- 8Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
- 9Discard the carrot and use a potato masher to crush the meatballs into smaller pieces.
- 10Season the sauce more to taste and add a teaspoon of sugar if needed. Stir in fresh basil leaves (hand-torn).
- 11In a separate pan, melt the butter until it starts to foam.
- 12Add flour and cook until there are no lumps and the roux hasn't browned (about 3 minutes).
- 13Slowly add milk while whisking until evenly incorporated. Add salt, garlic powder, and nutmeg, and keep whisking until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 14Turn off the heat, and stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
- 15Grease the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Make the first layer with meat sauce, to prevent noodles from sticking to the pan.
- 16Add lasagna noodles. Soak noodles in hot water and olive oil for 5-10 minutes until softened, before adding to the dish.
- 17Add béchamel sauce, meat sauce, fontina, mozzarella. Repeat layers 4 times, ending with a layer of noodles and béchamel sauce.
- 18Top with remaining fontina and fresh mozzarella cheese. Add grated Parmesan.
- 19Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
- 20Remove foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- 0.5 pound ground sirloin
- 0.5 pound pork sausage
- 1 slice prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onions
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 0.5 cup red wine
- 1 can whole san marzano tomatoes
- 1 bottle passata (strained tomatoes)
- 1 whole carrot
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 cups béchamel sauce
- 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 1 cup fontina cheese
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese
Equipment
large potbaking dishwhiskpotato mashermortar and pestleknife