Classic Lasagna

By Amanda Barnier and The Test Kitchen

71 people added this to their Recipe Box

Classic Lasagna
Photography by Jodi Pudge

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Total time : 3-1/4 hours
Total time : PT40M

This recipe makes 12 servings

Nutritional Info
Per serving: about	-
cal	474474 cal
pro	31 g31g pro
total fat	25 g25g total fat
sat. fat	12 g12g sat. fat
carb	31 g31g carb
dietary fibre	3 g3g dietary fibre
sugar	7 g7g sugar
chol	113 mg113mg chol
sodium	585 mg585mg sodium
potassium	669 mg669mg potassium
% RDI:	-
calcium	3838 calcium
iron	2525 iron
vit A	2626 vit A
vit C	3535 vit C
folate	1515 folate

Lasagna is the go-to meal that feeds a crowd and leaves everyone asking for seconds. We have many different lasagnas in our repertoire, but this one is classic in its simplicity.

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles 12 12lasagna noodles
1 1tub (475 g) tub (475 g)extra-smooth ricotta cheese
2 eggs 2 2eggeggs
1 pinch pepper 1 1pinch pinchpepper
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 3 3cups cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1cup cupgrated Parmesan cheese
Tomato Meat Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil 2 2tbsp tbspolive oil
2 onions , diced2 2oniononions, diced
1 rib celery , diced1 1rib celery, diced
1 carrot , diced1 1carrotcarrots, diced
4 cloves garlic , minced4 4cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lb lean ground beef 1-1/2 1-1/2lb lblean ground beef
1/3 cup tomato paste 1/3 1/3cup cuptomato paste
2 2cans (28 oz/796 mL each) cans (28 oz/796 mL each)diced tomatoes
1 cup red wine 1 1cup cupred wine or white wine
2 bay leaves 2 2bay leafbay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano 1 1tsp tspdried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tsppepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil 2 2tbsp tbspchopped fresh basil

Preparation

Click here to watch our how-to video where Canadian Living's food director Annabelle Waugh walks you through this entire recipe.

Tomato Meat Sauce: In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, celery, carrot and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add beef; cook, breaking up with back of wooden spoon, until browned and liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes, wine, bay leaves, oregano and pepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in basil. Discard bay leaves. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente. Drain and arrange noodles in single layer on towels.

In small bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs and pepper.

In 13- x 9-inch (3 L) baking dish, spread 1-1/2 cups of the meat sauce. Arrange 3 noodles over top; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 2-1/2 cups of the meat sauce, 3 noodles, ricotta mixture, 3 noodles, 2-1/2 cups of the meat sauce, 3 noodles, then remaining meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days; remove plastic wrap.)

Cover with foil. Bake in 375ºF (190ºC) oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is golden, about 15 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: January 2012