Once upon a time many years ago, my dad gave me a recipe for lasagna. I made it, and it was good. Over the years, the recipe went through many changes… slightly different ingredients, increased quantities, and so forth. Everyone who had it raved over it. So much so, I decided when I got married in 1993 that I would cater my own rehearsal dinner by making two pans of it at my mother-in-law-to-be’s house. I must have made a good impression, because I was told after returning from the honeymoon that she invited all her relatives who had been in town back to her house for dinner… and they finished off the lasagna!
I used to make this on a regular basis when my children were younger, as it was well liked and provided lots of leftovers (anyone who has kids will appreciate not having to cook every night… lol). But as time moved on, I stopped making it. What finally convinced me to do it again was when, a couple of years ago, my wife and I had traveled to Georgia following the death of one of my brothers. The family asked me to make it, and I agreed. It took some remembering, but I put together a decent version of it. And then more recently, I stayed with my mother as she was having surgery, and she shared an old pie recipe with me (but I had to promise not to post it here). So, since I couldn’t post her recipe I figured it was time to post mine.
This recipe has one eyebrow-raising difference that makes people question my sanity whenever they hear about it. And that difference is in the cheeses I use to make it:
- First, you will never find Ricotta cheese in any of my pasta dishes – no, never ever. It reminds me of cottage cheese, which is fine elsewhere but not in pasta (at least to me).
- Second, I use a blend of cheeses that nobody would ever expect – Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Wait, what? Cheddar in lasagna? Yes! To me, it’s not about how much of a “cheese pull” you can get, it’s about flavor. And to me Mozzarella by itself tastes pretty flat. Adding Cheddar (and also Monterey Jack) adds some depth to the flavor, and is much less rubbery in consistency when reheating leftovers.
The other item people seem amazed at is the sheer size of this dish. This recipe isn’t for the faint of heart – fully assembled it weighs well over 20 pounds and makes a whopping 24 servings, and I usually cook it in a large wire-reinforced roasting pan (the kind you would use to roast a large Thanksgiving turkey).
So if you’re ready for a challenge… or have a very large group of hungry people to feed… this might be the recipe for you.
Mike’s Legendary Lasagna
Description
My classic lasagna recipe, adjusted and refined over the course of 30+ years.
Ingredients
Instructions
Lasagna Sauce
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In a very large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
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Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add red wine, sugar, basil, parsley, fennel, and oregano, and stir until well blended. Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking on the bottom.
Prepare for Assembly
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Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. Combine shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses in a large bowl.
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Remove the lasagna sauce from heat. Set up an assembly line with the lasagna noodles, lasagna sauce, shredded cheese, and a large roasting pan (17 x 12 1/2 minimum, preferably with wire supports).
Assemble and Bake
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Place two cups of lasagna sauce in the bottom of the roasting pan and spread evenly.
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Build six (6) layers in the roasting pan as follows:
- Place a layer of lasagna noodles in the pan (usually 6-8 pieces depending on size)
- Spread 3 to 3 1/2 cups of lasagna sauce evenly on top of the noodles
- Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded cheese mixture evenly over the sauce (be sure the last of the shredded cheese is used up by the sixth layer).
(Note: the pan will get very full.)
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Add a final seventh layer as follows:
- Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the previous layer
- Spread 6 cups of lasagna sauce evenly on top of the noodles
- Sprinkle all the Parmesan cheese evenly on top of the sauce (this will form a thick "cap" of cheese)
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Place in the oven, supporting the bottom of the pan with a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until the Parmesan cheese has turned a golden brown color. Remove and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 24
Serving Size 1 square (approx 2 cups/16 oz)
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 910kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 40.7g63%
- Saturated Fat 19g95%
- Cholesterol 146mg49%
- Sodium 1575mg66%
- Potassium 1568mg45%
- Total Carbohydrate 71.7g24%
- Dietary Fiber 10g40%
- Sugars 15.8g
- Protein 55g111%
- Calcium 662 mg
- Iron 10 mg
- Vitamin D 80 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- White or yellow onion can also be used.
- Sweet Italian sausage can be used. Hot sausage is not recommended.
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot wines are suggested.
- For leftovers, allow pan to completely cool before cutting into squares.
- There may be a small amount of sauce and/or some noodles remaining after assembling the pan.
