Best Uncle Bills Marvelous Lasagna Recipes

UNCLE BILL'S MARVELOUS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying, add ground beef and fry until cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain off any fat and discard.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to frying pan, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 5 minutes.
• Add chopped celery, diced green and red peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and saute' until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add grated carrots, cover and cook until carrots are limp, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer this mixture to a large cooking pot.
• Add tomatoes including liquid, tomato sauce, parsley, hot pepper flakes and allspice and heat to boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Blend in wine and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• FILLING: Squeeze water from spinach and discard.
• Chop spinach small.
• In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, beaten egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, mix well and set aside.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Use a 10" x 14" x 2" deep, heavy duty aluminum foil baking dish.
• Layer about 1/2" of prepared sauce over the bottom.
• Place enough lasagna sheets to cover area and press lightly into sauce.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into sauce.
• Add spinach filling and level.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into filling.
• Add another layer of lasagna sheets.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce over.
• Place another layer of lasagna sheets and press lightly into sauce.
• Add the remaining sauce over and level.
• Sprinkle top generously with grated mozzarella cheese.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over.
• If desired, grate a 1/2 cup of Emmentaler Swiss cheese and sprinkle over top.
• Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil being careful not to let foil touch the lasagna.
• Bake in preheated 450 F oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 425 degrees F.
• Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Remove from oven, cover and let sit to set for about 5 minutes before cutting.
• Cut into pieces and serve hot.
• Ondine Delverde Lasagna is a brand name and is sold in packages of 15 lasagna sheets and also 3- 8" x 8" aluminum foil pans.
• You can use these pans if desired.
• This lasagna is pre-cooked and does not require any cooking before hand.
• They now make fresh lasagna sheets that do not require pre-cooking.
• You may also use lasagna strips but you will require cooking these.

UNCLE VINCENT'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, add the pork and beef with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and saute until no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a deep, rectangular lasagna pan, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom, then layer the lasagna strips evenly across the bottom of the pan to cover the entire surface, about 8 sheets of pasta.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the cooked meat mixture over this, then lay out 8 slices of mortadella on top. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cubed mozzarella and 1/4 of the grated cheeses and top with a layer of tomato sauce.
• Repeat with another layer of 8 lasagna sheets to cover, then do a layer of prosciutto, mozzarella, another 1/4 of the grated cheese, 1/3 of the chopped herbs, another 1/4 of the cooked meat, and tomato sauce. Finish this layer with 1/2 of the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
• Repeat with another layer of lasagna, remaining prosciutto and mortadella, another 1/4 of the grated cheeses, another 1/3 of the chopped herbs, remaining chopped eggs, another 1/4 of the mozzarella, another 1/4 of the cooked meat, and sauce.
• Repeat with the last layer of lasagna, remaining cooked meat, remaining grated cheeses, remaining mozzarella, and a thin layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle the top layer with the remaining chopped parsley and basil and fresh cracked black pepper.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 1/2 hour, until cheeses melt and ingredients have melded. Try not to let the aluminum foil touch the top layer or the cheese will stick when you uncover.
• Uncover and let cool and set for about 1/2 hour before cutting so lasagna can absorb the liquid released by the cheeses.

DAVE GROHL'S BADASS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large flame-proof pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and bay leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the plant-based ground beef alternative and break up with a fork if necessary. Add the tomato paste and marinara sauce and cook until bubbly, about 2 minutes.
• Splash in the red wine and cook until it has evaporated. Remove the bay leaves, then pour in the broth and add the nutmeg, 3 pinches of salt and a sprinkle of pepper.
• Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if dry, until the sauce has darkened and thickened and all the flavors have infused, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) with a rack in the center. Grease an 8-by-12-inch broiler-safe baking dish or lasagna pan with butter.
• Spoon a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of the pan. Top with a layer of 3 pasta sheets, followed by a third of the remaining sauce and a third of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat the layers with the pasta, sauce and cheeses twice more until you have 3 layers in total.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
• Remove the foil and turn the oven to broil, keeping the lasagna on the center rack. Cook to crisp the top, being careful not to let it burn, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Let cool for 15 minutes. Then it's ready to eat.

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

UNCLE BILL'S VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add chopped onion, chopped garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add chopped celery, diced green pepper, sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and saute until vegetables are softened; about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add grated carrots an continue to saute until carrots are limp, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer ingredients to a large pot.
• Add mashed tomatoes and liquid, tomato sauce, parsle, oregano, basil bay leaf, white pepper, red hot pepper flakes and allspice.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionallhy.
• Blend in wine and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
• Adjust spices to taste.
• Thaw spinach, squeeze out liquid and discard, chop spinach small.
• Combine spinach with ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, padano cheese, and set aside.
• TO ASSEMBLE.
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Aluminum foil baking pans are provided with (Ondine Delverde Lasagna).
• Use two - 8" x 8" x 2" aluminum pans and 10 sheets of lasagna.
• Spoon about 1/2" layer of the sauce into each 8" x 8" x 2" baking pans and press one lasagna sheet into the sauce.
• Add another 1/2" layer of sauce, then layer another lasagna sheet with grooves turned in opposite direction and press into the sauce.
• Add a 1/2" layer of the spinach/cheese mixture and press another lasagna sheet with grooves turned in opposite direction, press down firmly.
• Add another 1/2" layer of sauce and place another lasagna sheet with groovs in opposite direction and press down firmly.
• Add another 1/2" layer of spinach/cheese mixture and press another lasagna sheet down firmly.
• Cover the last lasagna sheet with another 1/2" layer of sauce.
• Sprinkle top generously with mozzarella cheese and padano cheese.
• Cover the aluminum baking pan tightly with aluminum foil, being careful not to let the foil touch the lasagna.
• Bake in preheated 500 F oven on the middle rack for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Cut into 4" x 4" squares for each serving.
• NOTE: Ondine Delverde Lasagna is a brand name and is sold in packages of 15 lasagna sheets and 3 aluminum foil baking pans. The lasagna is pre-cooked and is used as is. You can also use regular lasagna strips and cook as per instructions on package. Also, you can use fresh lasagna.