Lasagne al Forno- Baked Lasagne

This is fabulous four-food-group recipe. If you wish, serve it with a green salad and lovage dressing.

Lasagne is a classic and beloved Italian dish that consists of multiple layers of wide, flat pasta sheets alternated with an array of delicious layers of rich and flavorful sauces. Traditional lasagne typically features a combination of ingredients such as bolognese sauce, creamy bechamel sauce, and generous amounts of grated cheese, all beautifully baked to perfection in the oven. It is a hearty and comforting dish that is loved by countless people around the world for its savory taste and wonderfully satisfying texture. In Italian cuisine, the term lasagne specifically refers to those flat, rectangular sheets of pasta, which most non-Italians simply call lasagna. Interestingly, lasagna is actually the singular form of lasagne. Most pasta names in Italian are used in the plural form because recipes usually involve more than just one piece of pasta! I take great joy in using fresh pasta, which is simple to make at home or can be purchased freshly made from any local Italian pasta makers. Additionally, instead of the more common chopped parsley or basil, I often choose to use carrot greens. Carrot greens are just as edible and versatile as the carrots themselves, and they add a uniquely delicious flavor to the dish.

Lasagne al Forno

By Zosia Culinary Adventures Nov 30, 2022

Preparation: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 40-60 minutes

Yield: 12-18 portions

Equipment: casserole dish 26 cm x 37 cm

Ingredients:

500 g quark or ricotta cheese
2 eggs
450 g organic free range ground chicken or grass-fed beef
398 ml diced tomatoes
1250 ml homemade roasted tomato and pepper sauce as per my recipe or purchased
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup fresh pepper, chopped
3 small fresh porcini, shiitake or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small hot pepper, chopped - optional
350 g fresh pasta - no boiling required (otherwise follow packaging instruction)
350 g shredded mozzarella cheese
60 g shredded parmesan or gruyere cheese
1 cup of chopped carrots tops or chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, fresh mushrooms, peppers, and zucchini.
Sweat the vegetables until they just begin to soften.
Add ground chicken, along with with a touch of salt and pepper. Stir to break up lumps, and cook until meat is nicely moistened and lost its pink color.
Stir in the diced tomatoes and roasted tomato/pepper sauce. Add 1/4 cup chopped parsley or carrots tops.
Simmer over lower heat for 1.5 hours . Stir from time to time as it cooks.
Lasagne sauce is ready when thickens in texture and develops full aroma from all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings as you like.
Mix together the quark or ricotta cheese with eggs and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley/carrots tops and parmesan cheese.
Ladle a little meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread it across the bottom evenly.
Arrange a layer of pasta over the sauce , top with meat sauce. cheese mixture , layer of mozzarella and again with pasta layer, layer of meat sauce and cheese mixture, and mozzarella topped with parsley or carrots tops until all ingredients are used. You should have at least 3 layers. Top the last layer of pasta with tomato sauce and finish off with shredded mozzarella cheese which I prefer over parmesan cheese as a final topping. Loosely cover with parchment paper and foil. Parchment ensures that cheese doesn’t stick to the cover.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (178°C). Bake the lasagna for 40 to 60 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and foil in the last 20 minutes to get a crispy and browned top without drying out the dish.
Let your delicious lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This waiting time helps the layers hold together nicely when you cut and serve it. You don't need to let it rest when reheating later, but it's important for the first serving to ensure it stays intact.
Buon Appetito!