lasagne with an insalata caprese starter

Easy: ****
Tasty: ****1/2

This lasagne is very easy to make and is always a hit. And it is very adaptable to however you prefer to make it. I use ground sirloin, but any ground meat will do fine. Don't want to use ricotta? Cottage cheese makes a fine substitute. Less garlic, more garlic, no green peppers, add mushrooms - whatever you like!

The one thing I will recommend is the chopped tomatoes: I use Pomi/Parmalat, sold in the canned vegetable aisle, though in a waxboard carton. These tomatoes are generally less acidic and have WAY less sodium.

The Insalata Caprese can be made first, and served just as the lasagne is coming out of the oven. That gives you a little appetizer while the entree cools :)

One final note: these are my own recipes, so I have included no measures for the Insalata Caprese (make as much/little as you want) and the Lasagne measurements are as approximated.

Insalata Caprese

soft mozzarella
plum tomatoes
basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
oregano
salt & pepper

If tomatoes have been stored in the refrigerator, let warm to room temperature before slicing.

Wash & slice tomatoes into ¼ inch thick disks. Arrange in a single layer on a plate or platter.

Slice mozzarella into pieces a little thinner than the tomatoes; put a slice of mozzarella on each tomato.

Put a single basil leaf on each mozzarella slice; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano to taste.

Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil.

Serve at room temperature.


Lasagne

½ or 1 lb box lasagne pasta
1 medium yellow onion
1 medium green pepper
2 medium ripe plum tomatoes
2 to 4 cloves of garlic
½ to 1 lb ground sirloin
½ to 1 lb mild Italian sausage, with casings removed
26 to 32 oz crushed or chopped tomatoes
6 fresh basil leaves
1 pint ricotta cheese
2 cups grated parmesan
3 cups shredded mozzarella
extra virgin olive oil
oregano
salt & pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large pot, boil water to cook pasta. Salt the water, and to prevent sticking add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once boiling, add pasta to water and cook for 10-11 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While water is heating and/or pasta is cooking, chop onion and green pepper. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat; sauté onion until it begins to be translucent. Add green pepper and sauté until green pepper has started to soften. Stir often to prevent scorching. Chop tomatoes and add to onions/peppers. Crush/chop garlic and add to pan. Continue to cook until tomatoes are soft, but not mush. Remove mixture from pan and set aside.

Add ground sirloin and sausage to pan; season with salt & pepper. With a spatula, break into small-ish pieces and continue to cook until completely browned. Remove pan from heat and soak up majority of the grease with paper towel(s). The grease adds to the flavor of the meat, but you can remove as much as you like.

Return the pan to burner and add back in the onion/pepper/tomato mixture. Add the chopped tomatoes and heat until it begins to bubble. Chop basil leaves and stir in. Add about a palm full of oregano (more or less to taste). Again, simmer until bubbling. Remove from heat.

Coat the inside of a glass 9X13 baking dish with a thin coating of olive oil. Put down a layer of noodles, cover with sauce; add a few dollops of ricotta, sprinkle lightly with parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat this entire layer once more. On the third layer, put pasta, remainder of sauce, and remainder of mozzarella. The mozzarella should cover this layer completely.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more or until cheese has browned.

Let cool a bit before eating.