The origin of the word lasagna is traced back to the Greek word, laganon, which means “flat dough sliced into strips.” After the Romans conquered the Greeks, many Greek ideas and knowledge were taken and adopted. So, the Greeks did not invent lasagna, but their language and culture inspired the creation of it. It was not until the Middle Ages in Italy that the dish made its first appearance as we see it now.
Hearty pasta strips lathered in rich tomato sauce oozing with cheesy goodness is the lasagna we're all used to. July 29th is National Lasagna Day and it will be the perfect time to celebrate the savory pasta dish. Everyone has their favorite recipe of this belly-warming comfort food, here's one for you to try in honor of National Lasagna Day!
JULY -
Lasagna
Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles
1-1/4 pounds bulk Italian sausage
3/4 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
2/3 cup water
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil
3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain.
2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese, and remaining parsley and salt.
4. Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full).
5. Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 12 servings.
Recipe found on tasteofhome.com