My Perfect Lasagna Recipe

...8 years in the making

I have been having this on again and off again relationship with lasagna for 8 years- about 1 out of every 5 times I made it it was heavenly, the rest were too dry, too saucy, too mushy, too ugly (you know what I mean by ugly lasagna? Very unappetizing) So I have been perfecting this recipe, writing down the things I did different when it actually came out right and I am ready to share it!

There are some very strict rules when it comes to making this a perfect lasagna so read carefully:

Side-note: I have NO loyalty to these brands or affiliation with them. They are just what I have used and what works for me.

Lasagna (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)
Sized to to fit a 2 qt. square casserole dish

Ingredients:

6 "no boil" lasagna noodles

I would never tell you to buy premade tubs of frosting or cake mix, but trust me, don't be ashamed to buy the "no boil" lasgna noodles. Not only do they taste the same (I think better) but it is so much easier to spread the ricotta on them than trying to layer things on top of slippery noodles. 

1 26.5 oz. can of pasta sauce

I use Hunts Traditional Style Pasta Sauce because it is a thinner style of sauce with no chucks of tomato or veggies. I found a thicker sauce makes it dryer.

15 oz. container of ricotta cheese



I just use the Great Values brand from Wal-Mart in the "part skim" variety


3-4 cups of finely shredded mozzarella cheese

 If it is shredded too large, it will get clumpy.


1/4 cup parmesan cheese

I like the real shredded cheese you have to find in the refrigerated section as opposed to the powder variety.

1 egg


Palm size square of ground beef


Get the fat content you like for everyday cooking, but if you really want to make this lasagna at it's best for a special occasion, get the 80% beef to fat ratio because the meat will remain soft and juicy.\


Sprinkling of onion and garlic powder

Directions:


Place your ground beef in skillet and start chopping it apart with a sturdy spatula. Try to get the pieces as small as possible. While it is still cooking and is spread apart, sprinkle with onion and garlic powder. (You can cook the meat with large pieces of onion and garlic if you have it, but take all the pieces out after it is cooked, it is just for flavor). Cook until no longer pink.

Place cooked ground beef in a POT (yes, you will have to dirty something else but cooking the sauce in the pan makes it taste different-use a deep pot instead). Pour the sauce into the pot, stir the meat and sauce together and heat until just hot, don't over cook.

In a bowl, crack and beat the egg. Mix with ricotta and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

Pour 1/4 cup of meat sauce into the bottom of 2 qt. casserole dish. Layer two noodles on top of sauce- side by side. Take 1/3 of ricotta mixture and smooth on top of noodles with the back of a large spoon. Pour a scant 1 cup of meat sauce on the ricotta cheese mixture. Pour a scant 1 cup mozzarella cheese onto meat sauce.
Repeat 2 more times:
-noodles, ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella, noodles, ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella- STOP! You are done layering, yay!

Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Take off foil and bake another 15 minutes.
Then to get a nice brown, bubbly look to the top I suggest broiling for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Then most important of all- LET IT SIT!

Unless you want to make mush of this deliciousness, you need to let it sit for 15 minutes. Cut pieces with a sharp culinary knife and dish out with a small, study spatula. This way your lasagna with look as good as it tastes!

Enjoy!