Recipe Day May 20, 2020 Mom’s Lasagna

Mom’s Lasagna

I learned to make my mom’s baked lasagna recipe decades ago, and have been making  it ever since. Of course, as with most of my recipes, I made some changes. More cheese? Of course. Italian sausage? Yes, please. No boiling of those noodles? You bet.

Throughout the years, I have made this lasagna as a dish to pass for get-togethers, a meal brought to bereaved families, and of course, my favorite meal that I would make for the family. Every single time, the lasagna receives rave reviews. (Were they just being nice? Maybe sometimes. But probably, not, because it is delicious and the best recipe ever and happens frequently enough.) Of course, my favorite part of the story is when they ask for the recipe and I tell people, thank you. It’s actually the recipe on back of the Prince tm Lasagna Noodles box.

No brag, just fact, but I recently  had a friend from Seattle ask for the recipe. I loved telling her it belongs to my mom, and the Prince pasta company.

Without further ado, (you know those long blog recipe posts, that start at kindergarten and end at yesterday? I’m trying not to do that.)

From Prince Lasagna box (my mom made this version)

**with my changes

Classic Baked Lasagna

• 1 pound Italian bulk sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
• 8 oz. Prince  lasagna noodles- do not boil
• 15 oz WHOLE milk ricotta
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup parsley flakes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese x 2 (1 cup total)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 jars of pasta sauce ( My favorites:  Paul Newman’s marinara or sockarooni) You can use your favorite sauce or make your own.
• 1 package grated Italian cheese blend
• 1 1/2 pounds of sliced mozzarella cheese

 

1.Preheat oven to 365 degrees

2.Brown and crumble sausage, drain, add to pasta sauce.

3.Mix ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, and pepper.

4.Spread a bit of olive oil on bottom of 13 x 9 baking pan

5.Spread 1/2 plus cup of sauce on bottom of pan.

6.Layer: Lasagna noodles- not cooked, Ricotta, Sauce andMozzarella. We have made these words into a song, so we never forget what order to layer our lasagna. Lasagna, ricotta, sauce and mozzarella. Ask any of my daughters, they should be able to sing it.

(BONUS: it’s so easy to spread the ricotta mixture on uncooked noodles)

Don’t be afraid to use plenty of sauce, as the noodles absorb their moisture.

• Leave top layer with just sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.
• Remove foil, add grated (or more sliced cheese) if you prefer on top, bake 15 min. or until cheese is melted. It never hurts to stab it with a knife to make sure noodles are tender.
• Let stand 10 plus minutes so layers set up.

I think it is always better reheated the next day, although some will argue with that.

**I use Italian sausage, it adds the best flavor! I always prefer the whole milk version of cheeses, especially the ricotta.

 Lasagna Photo Credit: Prince Pasta

https://www.princepasta.com/en-us/recipes/22258/BakedLasagna.aspx

Enjoy! Hugs from me, and my mom (always in our hearts) and Prince tm Pasta company

LOVE YOU – MISS YOU

You know who you are.