Three Cheese Lasagna

The best part about this recipe is that it makes one for now and one for later!

Lasagna is one of those foods that can look kind of intimidating because of all the layers and ingredients. But really its a simple dish to put together once you know how! Also, it freezes well and makes for great leftovers. It is also a fantastic dish to make for a friend who just had a baby!

She just made a human. She shouldn't have to make dinner.

The recipe below will make either one huge lasagna or two small ones. I prefer to make two small ones when I'm just cooking at home for us because otherwise there are tons of leftovers that won't get eaten. Bear this in mind if you're bringing a dish to a new family - unless they are a family of five ravenous beasts chances are they won't down a whole lasagna in one sitting. The best part is that for us we get four meals total out of this recipe which is quite cost effective. But if you're a family of four where everyone actually eats their dinner (as opposed to two grown ups, the fussiest eater on the planet, and a newborn) it'll probably only give you two dinners.

Special Equipment

A large lasagna pan (I prefer glass or ceramic)
or 2 small rectangular baking pans (I really just make do with whatever I have in my house)
*If you're making for someone else, they make awesome disposable baking pans - go check your grocery store!

Ingredients

1. Roughly 4 cups of Marinara Sauce  (you can use jarred sauce if you prefer BUT 1 batch of my marinara sauce made me 2 spaghetti and meatballs dinners, 1 pizza, and 2 small lasagnas. I defrosted the rest of my sauce for this!)
2. 1 package of lasagna noodles
3. 2 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese (you can do it with more or less to taste)
4. 3/4 cup of shredded asiago and Parmesan cheese (it is not necessary to add these cheeses if you don't want to)
For Ricotta Mixture
5. 30 oz best quality ricotta cheese (not to be a food snob, but to be a food snob, there is a huge difference between excellent ricotta and good ricotta, if you can - spring for the good stuff. But for the love of all things holy, if you use cottage cheese instead, don't tell me - I'll cry. Not saying its bad, I'm just a purist)
6. 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (its like 50 cents a bunch - get some)
7. 1 tbsp Italian seasonings  (I like to use fresh herbs when I have them - but I don't like spending $8 for them - so use what you have to hand you're looking for oregano, basil, and rosemary)
8. 1/8 tsp nutmeg
9. 1 egg 
10. 1 tsp salt

*If you want this to be meat lasagna just add a pound of browned and crumbled sausage to the marinara sauce 

Directions

1. If you are making your sauce - make it now and set aside.

2. Preheat your oven to 375 F,  use olive oil to lightly grease your pan(s)

3. Cook your noodles according to the package, drain, and set aside.

4. Make your ricotta mixture. Finely chop up your parsley.

You want it in itty bitty bits

Mix your ricotta, salt, parsley, nutmeg, and Italian seasonings in a bowl. Do not add the egg yet. Take a taste - do you like it? Does it need more salt? Tweak the seasonings before you add the egg. (Ain't nothing sexy about salmonella). When it tastes right - add the egg.

My finished ricotta mixture

5. Now its time to assemble the lasagna. I'm giving directions for how to make two small ones - just double my amounts for a large pan. Remember this isn't about exact measurements. Just don't skimp on the sauce or it will be dry.

Spread about 1/4 cup of red sauce on the bottom of your pan.

Its going to keep the noodles from sticking to the bottom

Then layer your noodles on top. Trim them if they are too long.

They don't have to be perfect.

Use a spoon to spread a thick layer of the ricotta mixture over the noodles (you should have plenty and I guess I forgot to get a picture of this step - but you can do it. I know you can). Then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture. Add a little of the Asiago/Parm mix.  Then top with red sauce.

The first layer.

  Repeat that step one more time. Then put one last layer of noodles on top. Spread a little more red sauce on top of that. Then top with mozzarella/asiago/parm mixture.

Layers of delicious goodness waiting to be baked!

Here's a diagram:

I made it in Paint! I'm hardcore

6. Bake, covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 25 minutes until golden and bubbly.  (I like to assemble my second to-freeze one while the first one bakes)

Layers of yum