Recipe: Lasagna
All week long on Dinner DeeAs we're sharing how to make the 5 key sauces known as French ‘Mother Sauces’, so-called because they're foundations for so many other sauces and dishes. We started the week with Béchamel, and used it for a perfect pie and sensational sandwich. Click here if you missed that episode. Yesterday we made Espagnole Sauce and Chicken Chasseur with it, along with learning how to perfectly 'pipe' potatoes. Click here if you missed that episode.
Today we make another of the famous ‘Mother Sauces’, this time Tomato- and use it for a classic cheese lasagna. These recipes were shared by Dan Bavaro, whose Bavaro's restaurants are in Tampa, Sarasota, St. Pete. Clearwater and now Amalie Arena.
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Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 oz minced garlic
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh basil leaves, roughly torn or chopped
- 1 can whole peeled plum tomatoes
Directions
- Place sauce pot on medium-high heat on stove.
- Once pot is hot, add extra-virgin olive oil to coat bottom.
- Add minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Pour in tomatoes, including juice from can. Use spoon to break up tomatoes if necessary. Bring mixture to slow boil (about 30 minutes).
- Stir in sea salt and sugar, followed by basil leaves. Reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes.
Lasagna
Ingredients
- lasagna pasta sheets
- olive oil
- sea salt
- 4 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
Prepare Pasta
- Bring pot of water to boil. Add splash of olive oil and pinch of sea salt.
- Flash cook each lasagna pasta sheet 60 seconds. Remove and set aside for layering.
Prepare Cheese Mixture
- In mixing bowl, combine ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and egg. Add pinch of sea salt.
- Mix well by hand until thoroughly blended.
Layer Lasagna
- In 8" x 12" baking pan, spread thin layer of tomato sauce to cover bottom.
- Place first layer of pre-cooked pasta sheets over sauce.
- Spread another thin layer of sauce over pasta sheets, followed by layer of cheese mixture.
- Continue to layer in this order (pasta, sauce, cheese) for 3-4 layers, finishing with thicker layer of sauce on top.
Top and Bake
- Place dollops of remaining cheese mixture over top layer of sauce and sprinkle with additional Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking until cheese on top is bubbling and charred to your preference.
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