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Lasagna
Ines Bottone
Mrs. Bottone was the mother of Carol's good friend Sue. Lasagna Northern Italian Style is her recipe. Mom also had a recipe for Festive Lasagna, source unknown. Below I have given the ingredients for each with Mrs. Bottone's directions because they are more complete. Lasagna takes a certain amount of work, but the result is worth all the trouble.
Lasagna was a popular one-dish meal in our family, but not one we had often. In the Christmas season, when staff was working long, late hours at the flower shop, Grammy and Grampy used to get everyone lasagne in individual pans from an Italian deli in North Plainfield, NJ. Grampy would always say, "Lasagna! Don't get any on ya!"
Be sure to leave enough time! Mrs. Bottone says to start the meat sauce about 2 hours before serving or else to make it the day before.
Serves 12
Northern Italian Style |
Festive |
Meat Layers |
Meat Layers |
|
1 pound ground beef or mix of beef and pork
1 small onion, diced, or onion soup mix 1 8-ounce can of tomatoes 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt |
2 pound chopped beef (or Italian sausage)
1 medium onion 2 cloves garlic 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, undrained 1 12-ounce can tomato paste 2 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon pepper |
Cheese Layers |
Ricotta Layers |
|
1 16-ounce package mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 32-ounce package ricotta cheese 2 eggs 2 tablespoons chopped parsley |
1 container (30–32 ounce) ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten 1/3 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon salt |
White Sauce |
Mozzarella Layers |
|
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup milk |
4 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup parmesan cheese |
Noodle Layers |
Noodle Layers |
| 1 box (12) lasagne noodles | 1/2 pound lasagne noodles (1/2 box) |
Assembly:
These are Mrs. Bottone's directions. Differences in the Festive recipe appear in square brackets.
About 2 hours before serving (or day before) in 4-quart pan over high heat, cook beef and onion [and garlic] until meat is well browned, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, liquid, paste, water, basil, pepper, salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off fat from sauce and keep warm.
In medium bowl, mix cheese, eggs, and parsley. Put aside.
Prepare white sauce in a 2-quart pan over medium heat. Pour cheese mixture into the white sauce. Mix well. [Festive: skip this step.]
Prepare noodles according to package directions.
Preheat oven 375°F
In a 12" x 9" dish or pan, evenly spoon 3/4 cup of meat mixture. Layer with noodles, then [ricotta] cheese mixture [then mozzarella and parmesan]. Repeat layers. End with tomato sauce on top. [End with mozzarella on top.]
Bake 45 minutes. [Let stand 5 minutes before serving.]
Grace's recipe card for Festive Lasagna (I don't have a scan of Mrs. Bottone's recipe)
