Traditional Lasagna

To celebrate Lia’s birthday, we are posting her ‘rich’ but tasty lasagna recipe as it is her favorite birthday meal!  Keep in mind that this recipe is somewhat rich and heavier in calories than our typical recipes so indulge in small pieces.

If you would like to lighten up the recipe or make changes for food sensitivities, try the following tricks:

• Eliminate the meat and add more veggies like zucchini, squash and carrots in the sauce.
• Use egg whites rather than whole eggs or use 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites.
• Use half the cheese in the recipe or use lactose-free cheese for lactose intolerance.  If you’re feeling ambitious, make a cashew based ‘cheese’ to use instead of regular cheese.
• Use rice or gluten-free noodles for gluten allergies.

Traditional Lasagna

for PDF copy of recipe, Traditional Lasagna

Makes 13 x 9 sized pan (6-10 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1/3 cup bell peppers, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1-6 oz can tomato paste
• 1-700g (25 oz) jar tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese of choice (mozzarella or cheddar/mozza combo)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1-1 pound box of no boil lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. Saute onions and peppers in grapeseed oil until soft.
2. Add basil and chopped mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes.
3. Add ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken) and brown until no pink remains. Stir meat to break down into very small pieces.
4. Add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir.
5. Add tomato paste and stir until blended in with meat. Add tomato puree and water and mix thoroughly to combine.
6. Finally, add tabasco sauce.
7. Simmer sauce while preparing other ingredients for the lasagna.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and set aside.
9. Lay out the cheeses and lasagna noodles for easy assembly.
10. Grease 9 x 13 baking pan with grapeseed oil and set aside.
11. Assemble lasagna by repeating the following layers:
    1. Spread 2 or 3 scoops of meat sauce at bottom of pan,
    2. Cover sauce with a layer of noodles,
    3. Spread another 2 or 3 scoops of sauce on top of noodles,
       

       spreading egg mixture

    4. With a fork, spread egg mixture in criss-cross fashion on top of layer (see side picture),
    5. Sprinkle cheeses on top of egg mixture layer.
    6. Repeat by adding another layer of noodles, sauce, egg, cheeses, etc.
    7. Finish off top with cheeses.
12. Bake at 370 degree F oven for about 35 minutes.
13. Let rest for 10 minutes and then serve.