Every family has a traditional dish they pull out for every festive occasion. My G’ma’s signature dish is a deep dish lasagna that has no equal. We’ve watched her make it so we can write it down for the rest of the family. But it’s hard to keep up with her. Things don’t get measured. At the end of the day you find yourself jogging your memory on what got tossed in there and guessing at quantities. You’ll never find this exclusive recipe anywhere else.
INGREDIENTS
- Meat sauce
- 1/2 lb (250g) ground Italian sausage
- 1/2 lb (250g) ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 15oz can or 2 8oz cans (500g) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp provincial herbes
- Ricotta mixture
- 1 lb (500g) ricotta – drained overnight or for at least 2-3 hours
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil – chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Layers
- 1 lb (500g) lasagna noodles – choose Italian Dececco or Barilla
- 1 lb (500g) mozzarella – ideally sliced is more gooey but shredded is cheaper
- 1 cup (100g) grated parmesan cheese (Pecorino Romano if you want to add a gourmet touch)
- Baking time 1 hour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Meat Sauce:
- Brown meat and onion.
- Add sauce and simmer 30 min to make sure it’s thick and flavorful, not too watery.
- Noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and a drizzle of olive oil to coat the noodles and keep them from sticking.
- Boil a few lasagna noodles to very al dente (about 4-5 minutes). This prevents overcooking during baking. Work in batches, a few at a time.
- Scoop out sheets with a mesh strainer or pasta spider and shock in ice water in a large glass bowl. Lay flat the lasagna noodles on parchment paper avoids sticking and tearing.
- Ricotta Mixture:
- Ricotta mixture: Draining it overnight is ideal – you want it dry enough to hold its shape and not leak moisture into the layers.
- Stir in the seasoning of herbs and eggs for structure.
- PRO TIPS
- Choose a 10×15 inch deep dish pan.
- Meat sauce: Begin with a thick layer of 1/4 of the meat sauce.
- Noodles: Cover with 6 noodles slightly overlapping to ensure full coverage with no gaps.
ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE
- Foundation:
- oil the pan → Meat Sauce (1/4)
- 1st layer:
- 6 Noodles (overlapping) → Ricotta (1/2) → Mozzarella (1/3) → Meat Sauce (1/4) → Parmesan (1/3)
- 2nd layer:
- 6 Noodles (overlapping) → Ricotta → Mozzarella → Meat Sauce → Parmesan
- 3rd & Top layer:
- 8 Noodles (hanging over the edge) → Meat Sauce → Parmesan → Mozzarella
- PRO TIPS
- Skip the ricotta on the top layer for a better crust and less mess.
- Make sure to finish strong with sauce and then cheeses for that perfect bubbly finish.
- Baking Notes:
- Cover with parchment under foil prevents sticking.
- Bake covered 375°f (190°C) for 45 min.
- Remove the cover and continue baking another 15 min.
- Uncovering at the end gives crispy edges and a golden top.
- Resting Time:
- Crucial. This helps it set and slice cleanly. Don’t skip it!
- Let it cool for 30 min before serving.
Double Batch shopping list
- 500g ground Italian sausage
- 500g ground beef
- 2x500g tomato sauce
- 1 k ricotta
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 4 eggs
- 1 K lasagna noodles – choose Italian Dececco or Barilla
- 1 k mozzarella (shredded or block)
- 150g grated parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)