Best Christmas Eve Lasagna Recipes

CHRISTMAS EVE LASAGNA

Steps:

• TOMATO SAUCE: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the sausage meat. Saute for about 5 minutes, chopping up the chunks as small as possible until the meat is no longer pink. Transfer the sausage to a layer of paper towel to drain off the fat and wipe most of the fat out of the pan. Add the onions and continue to stir until the onions are translucent. Add back the sausage and garlic. Stir well. Now add both the cans of tomatoes, the pesto or basil, the sugar and a little salt if needed. Let simmer for about 40 minutes. BALSAMELLA SAUCE: In a small pan, melt the butter over love heat. Do not let it brown. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the flour. Add the milk and cream and whisk it well. Then return the pan to medium heat, whisking constantly. When the sauce is thick and smooth, reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Taste the sauce, it should be very creamy and rich. Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside to cool, or refrigerate overnight--do not let freeze outside on the deck. RICOTTA FILLING: Whisk all the ingredients together, and again, put in the refrigerator, not the freezing deck. LAYERING: Preheat the oven to 350. Find your nicest, deepest baking pan and spoon a small amount of the tomatoe sauce into the bottom of the pan. Arrange strips of lasagna over the sauce until the bottom of the pan is covered. Use one-third of the ricotta mixture for the next layer, then one-third of the balsamella sauce and one third of the mozzarella. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese and then some of the tomato/sausage sauce. Cover with more lasagna strips and repeat the layers 2 more times, ending with the pasta strips. Cover this top layer with tomato/sausage sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 50 to 70 minutes until everything is bubbly and hot. Let the lasagna rest for about 20 minutes before serving.

GRAMMA TRENTINI'S CHRISTMAS EVE SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Chop lobster/seafood into bite-size pieces.
• 2. Heat the butter in a large fry pan. Add the seafood and sauté until just barely cooked, just a few minutes and then set the seafood aside into a bowl.
• 3. In the same fry pan, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about one minute. Add the white wine and lemon juice, deglaze the pan and simmer to reduce by half. Remove from heat and return the seafood to the pan and stir to coat.
• 4. Melt the butter in another large fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add the flour and stir while cooking for a few minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer until it thickens. Remove from the heat and mix in the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper.
• 5. Mix the ricotta, dill, spinach, egg, Parmigiana Reggiano, mozzarella and a cup of the white sauce. Pour ¼ cup of the white sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
• 6. Add a layer of half of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of noodles. (Lay the opposite direction from the first. Criss-cross fashion.
• 7. Add a layer of all of the seafood and pour a cup of the white sauce over that. Add a layer of noodles (again laying the opposite direction.)
• 8. Add a layer of the remaining cheese mixture. Add a final layer of noodles. Pour ½ cup of the white sauce over the noodles and top with the Parmigiana Reggiano and mozzarella.
• 9. Bake in a preheated 350º F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.

CHRISTMAS EVE VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and peppers. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted, about 2 more minutes. Set the vegetable mixture aside.
• In another bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese (reserving some for top layer), garlic, and italian seasoning. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
• To assemble the lasagna, start by spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Add a layer of lasagna noodles and ricotta mixture. Add a layer of vegetables. Add shredded mozzarella. Repeat until you have used all of the ingredients. Top layer should be sauce with mozzarella and remaining parmesan.
• Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.