Famous House Made Lasagna Recipe

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When the butter melts and foams, add the chopped onion, diced carrot and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan. Break up the meat with a spatula and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt (adjust if using table salt) and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper as it cooks.

Develop flavor

Stir in 3 tbs tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly. If using, pour in 1/2 cup dry red wine to deglaze the pan; scrape up browned bits and reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Simmer the sauce

Add the crushed tomatoes (28 oz), 1 cup stock, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of stock or water. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley at the end and remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

While the ragu simmers, combine 2 cups whole-milk ricotta, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (for mixing), 2 tbs chopped fresh basil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg (if using) in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and homogenous. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Prep oven and pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil.

Layer the lasagna

Spread about 1 cup of the meat ragu in the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking. Place a single layer of 3–4 lasagna noodles over the sauce (for no-boil noodles follow package spacing; for regular noodles use pre-cooked, drained noodles). Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles (about 3/4 cup). Spoon about 1 to 1-1/4 cups of meat ragu over the ricotta and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella over that. Repeat two more times to make three total cheese/meat layers (noodles, ricotta, ragu, mozzarella). Finish with a final layer of noodles topped with remaining ragu (about 1 to 1-1/2 cups) and the remaining 1 to 1-1/4 cups shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over the top.

Bake

Cover the lasagna tightly with aluminum foil (tent so the foil doesn't touch the cheese) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden and cheese is melted. If you like a more browned top, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes watching carefully.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes to set (this helps for clean slices). Garnish with fresh basil leaves before slicing. Serve warm.