Author Notes
This recipe for lasagna is true staple in my home. I had avoided making lasagna for so many years because I feared it would be too time consuming, but this recipe is quite easy. I often serve it to my family for weeknight meals, and they all love it (even my 1-year old daughter). It's also a great meal for a casual dinner party because it's good for serving a crowd. I have never served this lasagna to someone who did not rave about how delicious it is. My brother-in-law did not believe it was homemade.
It is a really comforting meal and yet it is also quite nutritious! I always serve a salad along with this but with all the spinach in the filling, it's almost not even necessary.
Please note that I normally use ground turkey thigh as my choice for the bolognese, but it also tastes great with ground beef. In addition, I am going to be honest and say that when I do not have time to make fresh ricotta I just use the Mozzarella Fresca brand that you can find at many grocery stores. When I cannot get to the store that sells fresh lasagna sheets, I use Barilla No-Boil sheets (the only brand that I trust). Finally, I often use grated mozzarella for ordinary weekdays but when it's a special occasion I use the fresh mozzarella to make it more fancy.
Buon Appetito! —la mere moderne
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Ingredients
- Lasagna Filling
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28 ounces
Puréed Tomato
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15 ounces
Diced Tomato
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1 pound
Ground Turkey Thigh Meat
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1
Medium Brown Onion (Diced)
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1
Large Carrot (Peeled and Diced)
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4
Cloves Garlic (Minced)
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2 tablespoons
Olive Oil
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1 1/2 teaspoons
Salt
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1 1/2 teaspoons
Salt
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1/2 teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper
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1
Large Bunch Fresh Basil (De-Stemmed and Chopped)
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1/2 cup
Red Wine
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1 1/2 cups
Fresh Ricotta (See Below)
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1 cup
Freshly Grated Parmesan
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2 cups
Spinach (Cooked, Drained, Chopped)
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1
Large Egg
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1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg
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Fresh Lasagna Sheets
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8 ounces
Fresh Mozzarella (Large Balls)
- Fresh Ricotta
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8 cups
Whole Milk
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1 teaspoon
Salt
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3 tablespoons
Fresh Lemon Juice
Directions
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To make the fresh ricotta, line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth; set in sink. Bring milk and salt to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in lemon juice and let simmer until curds form about 1-2 minutes.
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Using finely slotted spoon or skimmer, scoop curds from pan and transfer to cheesecloth-lined colander. Let drain about 1 minute. Transfer curds to medium covered bowl. Chill for about 3 hours. Can be made 2 days ahead.
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Once you are done making ricotta (if you're making it yourself), you can begin on the bolognese. Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and bring to medium-high heat. Then add diced carrot, diced onion, and minced garlic. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until soft.
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Add the diced and puréed tomatoes to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a vigorous simmer and then add cayenne followed by the ground turkey (or beef). Simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Add chopped basil and red wine. Cover the saucepan and let simmer for about 30-45 minutes.
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Before getting started on the ricotta filling, turn the oven on to preheat at 375 degrees.
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Blend the ricotta with one egg. Then add parmesan, remaining salt and pepper, and then nutmeg. Finally add the well-drained spinach to the mixture and blend well.
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To assemble the lasagna, start by adding a little bit of sauce to the bottom of your casserole dish (roughly 14 x 11 inches). This will prevent the pasta from burning and keep the bottom layer moist.
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Then add a layer of fresh or no-boil lasagna sheets to the bottom of the casserole dish. Spoon half the ricotta mixture over the pasta with a silicone spatula and smooth into an even layer. Top with one-third of the bolognese sauce. Add about one-third of mozzarella on top. Then repeat.
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After assembling your two layers of lasagna, top it off with the remaining third of sauce and remaining third of mozzarella. Cover with foil and cook in the oven 45-60 minutes or until the sauce begins to bubble. During the last ten minutes, take the foil off to let the cheese brown a little bit.
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