Just like how I titled this recipe, lasagna is a very comforting food.  Each time I make lasagna, and it’s not often…I like to vary the ingredients, yet keep it as classic as possible.

For this recipe I managed to find a fancy, made in Italy, no-boil whole sheets of lasagna from Home Goods.  The company that makes them is La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano.  Within 30 minutes time, we were sitting down and enjoying a feast!  And, of course, there is nothing quite like my signature Cheesy Garlic Bread to go alongside the lasagna.

Mangia bene!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Grass-fed, organic ground beef (feel free to substitute with lamb or turkey)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed with skin
• 1 small can organic mushroom (1 small basket mushrooms, sliced)
• 1 can organic stewed tomatoes (purchased from Costco)
• 1 jar organic pasta sauce (your choice)
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar (or Garlic Red Wine Vinegar)
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp parsley
• 1 Tbsp sweet basil
• Pinch kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 package ready-to-bake lasagna sheets
• 2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Magnia Bene!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

bolognese sauce

Recipe Preparation:
(For the meat sauce)

1.  In a large pan sauté the ground meat for about 10 minutes or until meat is golden brown.  Add-in the diced onion, mashed garlic cloves (with skin), mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes.  Cook for another 5 minutes or until all ingredients are combined.
2. Add-in your choice of pasta sauce, red wine vinegar, along with the herbs.  Add-in a pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Set aside.

(For the lasagna sheet assembly)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

1. In a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish evenly distributed, spread a layer of meat sauce on top of the lasagna sheet, then top with mozzarella cheese and the ricotta (around 1/5 of the quantity).
2. Top again with another lasagna sheet.  Repeat the steps to form four other layers. Top the last layer with the meat sauce, and a generous amount of mozzarella cheese. Cover the baking pan with foil and bake until golden brown, around 30 minutes.
3. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.  Top with fresh basil, if desired.  This recipe is served with Cheesy Garlic Bread.