Diva Q
Executive Chef
Diva Q Lasagna
*Please note this recipe makes enough for 2 large trays of lasagna.
INGREDIENTS
* 3 pound lean ground beef
* 2 onions chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 can crushed tomatoes
* 2 cans tomato paste
* 2 cups tomato juice
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 tablespoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 2 boxes lasagna noodles
* 2 454 gr ricotta cheese
* 7 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 950 gr mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 2-3 cup fresh grated Parmesan
* 3/4- 1 cup cup grated romano
* 2 balls smoked mozzarella grated
* 2 packages frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained well
* 2 large carrots grated
* 2 stalks of celery grated
* 2 onions grated
* 2 tablespoons EVOO
* 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. In a pot, cook ground beef, onion, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tablespoon salt and garlic over medium heat until well browned. In another pot make the sauce. Mix together grated onion, carrot, celery saute in EVOO until the carrots are soft. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, & tomato juice. Season with sugar, dried oregano,1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper & 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Now add the meat back to this mixture. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. They should be still quite firm but flexible. Place noodles in an ice bath to stop the cooking process immediately. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 4 eggs, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another mixing bowl combine the spinach with the remaining eggs and the grated smoked mozzarella, 1/2 cup of romano, and the nutmeg.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 3-4 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Next layer on 1/2 the spinach mixture. Repeat with the meat layers, one more ricotta layer, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle some of the parmesan on top if desired. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.(I always add more cheese on top at this point) Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
This is just after the first 25 minutes I am just about to add more cheese. Post more pics later.
*Please note this recipe makes enough for 2 large trays of lasagna.
INGREDIENTS
* 3 pound lean ground beef
* 2 onions chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 can crushed tomatoes
* 2 cans tomato paste
* 2 cups tomato juice
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 tablespoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 2 boxes lasagna noodles
* 2 454 gr ricotta cheese
* 7 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 950 gr mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 2-3 cup fresh grated Parmesan
* 3/4- 1 cup cup grated romano
* 2 balls smoked mozzarella grated
* 2 packages frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained well
* 2 large carrots grated
* 2 stalks of celery grated
* 2 onions grated
* 2 tablespoons EVOO
* 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. In a pot, cook ground beef, onion, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tablespoon salt and garlic over medium heat until well browned. In another pot make the sauce. Mix together grated onion, carrot, celery saute in EVOO until the carrots are soft. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, & tomato juice. Season with sugar, dried oregano,1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper & 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Now add the meat back to this mixture. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. They should be still quite firm but flexible. Place noodles in an ice bath to stop the cooking process immediately. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 4 eggs, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another mixing bowl combine the spinach with the remaining eggs and the grated smoked mozzarella, 1/2 cup of romano, and the nutmeg.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 3-4 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one 1/4 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Next layer on 1/2 the spinach mixture. Repeat with the meat layers, one more ricotta layer, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle some of the parmesan on top if desired. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.(I always add more cheese on top at this point) Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
This is just after the first 25 minutes I am just about to add more cheese. Post more pics later.