Lasagna is a wonderful comfort food, gooey, cheesy, warm, filling. It is also a great dish to take when you need to bring a casserole or to feed a crowd.
After watching the Sopranos, the episode when they are eating lasagna, Carmella and Tony are saying how good it is with a layer of spinach, I now add spinach to my lasagna. Who knew Carmella Soprano could give recipe tips?
The spinach gives it a nice color layer so it is visually appealing. I will use ground beef and sometimes ground pork together. I always add onions and mushrooms. Since I have a huge garden and make tomato sauce and tomato paste, I use them into my sauce for the lasagna. I layer with Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese and it all smells wonderful while it is cooking.
I usually make 2 medium lasagnas at the same time so I use all the noodles at once. If I don’t have to give one away, the spare casserole goes into the freezer for future use.
Do you have a favorite comfort food to make, share or eat?
Carmella Soprano Lasagna
1-2 pounds ground beef or combination of beef and pork, 5% fat on the beef
1 large onion sliced thinly
½ pound mushrooms sliced
Pan fry all together with salt, pepper, basil and parsley
In a separate pot heat tomato sauce and paste to make at least 3 cups
Add salt, pepper, garlic, basil and parsley
Mix 16 ounces Ricotta cheese with 2 eggs
Grate 16 ounces Mozzarella cheese
Measure ½ cup Parmesan cheese
8 ounces baby spinach
Boil or use no boil 16 ounces lasagna noodles
Spray 2 lasagna pans and start layering starting with and ending with sauce.
Bake 350 for 45 minutes.
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