A Completely Approachable, Celebratory Lasagna

Jeff the Chef
"Lasagna," from Make It Like a Man!

I think of lasagna as an arduous, all-day affair. This version isn’t quite. You could knock it off on a late Saturday afternoon without breaking a sweat – don’t get me wrong: it’ll take a while, but not too long … and it’s not hard. If this version is easier, it is nonetheless over-the-top extravagant.

Completely Approachable, Celebratory Lasagna
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Completely Approachable, Celebratory Lasagna

Recipe by Make It Like a Man!Course: Main
Makes

12

generous servings

Don’t give in to the temptation to skip straining the ricotta. Accept the fact that this takes a bit of planning.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs whole-milk ricotta cheese

  • 1 lb. ground chuck

  • 1 lb. hot Italian sausage (bulk)

  • 3 jars (24 oz. each) spaghetti sauce

  • 2 Tbs olive oil

  • Salt

  • 2 lbs lasagna noodles

  • 2 large eggs

  • ¾ lb. (2½ cups) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • 1 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced thin or shredded

Directions

  • Strain the ricotta overnight by placing it in a colander lined with coffee filters (or over fine-mesh strainer with no filters), over a bowl. Keep refrigerated.
  • Place the beef and pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up continually as it cooks. Keep stirring; you want the meat to be broken down and scrambled, instead of chunky.
  • Once there is no longer any pink in the meat, off heat. Tip the pan and use a large spoon to remove most of any liquid that may have rendered. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and heat over a medium flame until it boils. Off heat. Set aside.
  • Add oil and salt to pasta water. Cook noodles to al dente. Drain. Set aside.
  • Blend eggs with ricotta. Set aside.
  • Build your lasagna in a 13″x9″x2¼” pan, like this: A) spread ½ cup of the sauce across the bottom of the pan. B) Line the pan lengthwise with noodles, allowing the ends of the noodles to overhanging the pan by three or four inches on both the left and right sides of the pan. C) Spread 2 cups of the sauce over the noodles. D) Distribute ¼ of the Parmesan over the sauce. E) Create a crosswise layer of noodles, overhanging the pan on the sides nearest to and furthest from you. F) Spread the eggy ricotta (all of it) evenly. G) Create a lengthwise layer of noodles, overhanging the pan. H) Distribute the mozzarella (all of it) evenly. I) Spread 2 cups of sauce over the mozzarella. J) Distribute ¼ of the Parmesan over the sauce. K) Create a lengthwise layer of noodles that do NOT overhang. L) Spread 2 cups of sauce over the noodles. M) Distribute ¼ of the Parmesan over the sauce. N) Fold in all the overhanging noodles. O) Spread 1 cup of sauce over the top. P) Distribute the remaining Parmesan over all. (You will have leftover sauce, which you should serve at the table, as you would a gravy. You will also have leftover noodles that you should repurpose.)
  • Cover with foil.
  • Bake it right away
  • 45 minutes at 375°F, then remove foil and bake until the lasagna is bubbling and browned, 30 minutes more. Allow the lasagna to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
  • Or Bake it later
  • Refrigerate for as long as 24 hours. Then, bake for 3¼ hours at 375°F. Remove foil and bake until the lasagna is bubbling and browned, 30 minutes more. Allow the lasagna to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • I like Paul Newman’s Sockarooni sauce for this.
  • Spend a lot on a nice hunk of Parmesan and shred it in a food processor. It’s worth it.
  • Don’t bother trying to count out your noodles in order to divide them into the required layers. Simply line the pan as directed, allowing the noodles to slightly overlap one another as you lay them side by side. You’ll have plenty. You’ll have more than a few leftover, in fact.
"Lasagna," from Make It Like a Man!

The Backstory

This is based on a Lidia Bastianich recipe[1]. I posted about it several years ago. I wanted to repost this version, which is really and truly fantastic, but much easier.

Relying on a store-bought sauce saves a ton of time and energy. And there are some really good ones available. Newman’s Sockerooni was my favorite. However, they’ve changed the sauce, and not for the better as far as I’m concerned. I do have a recipe for a quick, homemade sauce that I love. But sometimes, it’s just so easy to have a jar of good sauce in the cupboard. So I’m on the lookout for a new one. So far, I like the spicy tomato and basil version of Classico, but I have to admit that this is in large part because it comes in an Atlas bottle. It tastes pretty good, but I wish it were zestier and not quite as smooth-textured.

Social Learning

It will probably take two noodles to span the length of the pan with overlap on both sides, and the overhang will be pretty much what you want. It will probably also take two noodles to span the width of the pan, but you’ll wind up with too much overlap. (Yet one noodle probably won’t provide enough.) Don’t worry about this; use two noodles. When it comes time to fold in the overhanging noodles, use kitchen sheers to trim them to your liking. Once all the noodles are folded in, you should wind up with a couple-inch border around the pan, with exposed lasagna in the center. Trim as need be. The lengthwise noodles, since they’re doubled, I like to trim them so that the inner ones are a bit longer than the outer ones.

This lasagna just gets better over time. Two or three days later, microwaved, it’s even more guest-worthy.

[1] Lidia Bastianich. 2003. “Italian-American Lasagna.” in Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen, 156-67. Knopf, New York.

"Italian-American Lasagna," from Make It Like a Man!
 Completely Approachable, Celebratory Lasagna

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man!, unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor and Proper Circle. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything.

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37 thoughts on “A Completely Approachable, Celebratory Lasagna”

  1. I agree – once you get down to it, lasagna isn’t hard but it does take time. I’ve made Lydia‘s lasagna quite a few times, and my next project is to tackle one using a béchamel sauce. I really wish I could use sauces from a jar… Just so impossible to find one without garlic. But, it’s really pretty easy to whip up a large batch of sauce, too. It’s only 7:45am, and I want a big piece of lasagne. Sheesh…

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  6. I’m all in for over the top extravagant. I’d try this no matter how long it would take, and I love that it can be made ahead, too. Makes party day easy. 🙂 ~Valentina

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  7. I like the idea of a microwaved meal that is guest worthy! Also, what a fun way to make lasagna by folding the noodles over themselves – mental note: remember this. 🙂 In other news, I feel like we’re brothers from another mother as I just posted a lasagna recipe today, too. What are the odds!?
    David @ Spiced recently posted…Lasagna Bolognese

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    • What??? That is unusual. And cool. The folding I got from Lidia. It makes a nice presentation, but it also gives you nice, crunchy bits.

      Reply

  8. Homemade lasagna is a labor of love but so worth it.. yours looks amazing . I always make it when my daughter-in-law comes to visit- because she loves it and is so expressively grateful to me for making it (sans meat of course)
    Judee recently posted…Romanian Potato and Tomato Stew

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    • It’s not so much that it’s better microwaved, it’s more that it’s better over time, and happens to microwave nicely.

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  11. I Love lasagna but have not tried it yet. Generally we go to restaurant for lasagna. Yours look great. Good job Dear friend.

    Reply

    • Thank you! You should try it! It’s as bit of work, but this one’s not as much work as it could be, but the results are so satisfying.

      Reply

  12. Wow! I’m craving lasagna just looking at these gorgeous photos Jeff. And the fact that this delicious recipe doesn’t take all day to prepare makes it a truly perfect lasagna. 😋. Love the nod to Paul Newman! I’ll have to try that Sockarooni sauce as well.
    Shannon recently posted…Cracked Out Soyrizo Bagel Bites

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  15. Lasagna is definitely a labour of love and a really good one, like your recipe, just makes the world a better place. The hot sausage must take the meat sauce over the top. I love to freeze my baked portions for easy weeknight meals. And surprisingly, it reheats in the microwave beautifully (adding even more crispy bits on the edges).
    Eva Taylor recently posted…Roasted Garlic, Cauliflower Gnocchi

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  18. Mmmmm! I love lasagna, but I don’t usually have the drive to make it myself. It is kind of a lot of work. But I love it when other people make it! Yours looks great! Thanks for sharing!
    Wayne W Walls recently posted…The Uncertain Hour

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