We all have a favorite keepsake recipe and sometimes we're lucky enough to have a story go with it.Mine, while simple, has a lot of meaning to me.
My grandmother, Sylvia, taught me how to make lasagne when I was a little girl. One day, when I was about 8 years old, Grandma Sylvia took me into her kitchen in McKeesport, PA and said, "I'm going to teach you how to cook one of my favorite recipes and you can pass it on to your family one day!" Wow! What a responsibility. I'd been in the kitchen helping before, but to actually learn how to make something from beginning to end was a whole new ballgame! I had arrived! I was a young lady now and was going to learn the traditions of my family!
I didn't know at the time how true Grandma Sylvia's words would be. For one thing, she did teach me how to make a delicious lasagne. And for another, I do cook this for my family. I've changed the recipe slightly and consider it my way of adding to a family heirloom. One day, I will show my daughter how to make it and hopefully she'll keep the tradition going. Again, simple, but meaningful. And quite honestly, it's the little things in life that I have truly come to appreciate!!
So here we go (this one's for you Grandma Sylvia! I hope you don't mind me sharing our little secret!)
Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 lb lean ground beef; 1/2 lb lean ground sausage; 1 package pepperoni slices; 1 large can of sliced mushrooms; 1/2 medium sweet white onion, diced; 1/2 lb dry lasagna noodles (requires 9 lasagna noodles - unbroken);1/4 cup sugar;1 28 oz can tomato sauce;1/2 28 oz can (16 oz) stewed tomatoes;1/2 6 oz can (3 oz) tomato paste;1 lb Ricotta cheese; 1 1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese (large flat square slices); 3/4 lb freshly grated parmesan cheese; Garlic Powder; Oregano; Italian Spice; Salt; Garlic Salt;1 Garlic Cloves, minced; White wine vinegar
Directions:
1 Brown lean ground beef and lean ground sausage in skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Drain off excess beef and sausage fat. Add diced onion to skillet, brown for a few minutes on medium high heat, add browned beef and sausage back to the skillet, lower the heat to low and continue to cook for 5 more minutes stirring frequently.
2 Transfer browned beef, sausage, and onions to large pot. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste. Open stewed tomatoes and dice, then add to pot. Add seasonings. Add a dash of white wine vinegar. Stir and allow sauce to simmer 15-45 minutes to thicken. Set aside.
3 Cook 1 lb lasagna noodles in larger pot per cooking directions. Drain and allow to sit in cool water.
4 In lasagna pan, spoon one cup of sauce and spread along the bottom of the pan. Apply a layer noodles 3 or 4 length wise (edges overlapping). Spoon sauce over noodles. Apply a layer of mozzarella cheese slices on top of lasagna sauce. Place ricotta cheese dollops (about a Tablespoon) every 2 inches in center of noodles on top of mozzarella cheese slices, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese in thin even layer on top of ricotta cheese. Add a layer of pepperoni slices and mushrooms. Apply second layer of noodles, repeat three time topping with noodles. If you have extra sauce and cheese you can spread that over the top. Tent lasagna pan with aluminum foil.
Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment