Italian Lasagne

Last night we had Lasagne.  Lasagne is one of my husband's all time favorite Italian dishes.  I have made homemade lasagne for years, I have tired a few changes over the years but this is the variation that I make most often.

Lasagne
(makes 4 servings)


Pasta Dough
1 cup flour
1 Egg
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Water

Sauce
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2/3 Lbs. Ground Beef
1 Onion
1 Large Garlic Clove
1 Celery Stick
1 Carrot Stick
1 Can Tomato Paste
1 Large Can Whole Tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano
1Tbsp. Fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper

1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Bunch of Spinach, shredded
Salt/Pepper
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, Grated

For the pasta, combine flour, egg, olive oil and water.  Form into a ball. Cover and let dough rest for 30 minutes. Flour a cutting board and pasta roller.  Divide dough into two pieces. Let once piece remain covered until ready to use. Flour the first piece of dough and roll through the pasta roll, continue rolling until thin (I rolled to "5" on my pasta roller).  Repeat with second piece of dough.  Cut dough into long strips.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and olive oil to pot.  Add noodles and cook until tender. Drain well. Lie flat to dry.

For the sauce, heat 1 tbsp oil in large pot, add ground beef and cook until brown.  Remove beef from pan and set aside. Without cleaning pot, add onion, garlic, celery and carrot and cook until tender.  Stir in 1 can of tomato paste.  Using your hands one at a time squish whole tomatoes from can into the pot.  Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to simmer for at least 1 hour before using an immersion blender to blend smooth. Add cooked beef back into sauce and allow to simmer over a low heat for 1/2 hour.

Mix 1/2 cup of Ricotta Cheese and Spinach with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In an 8" x 8" pan, lightly oil the bottom of pan.  Place one layer of noodles on bottom of pan.  Spread half of the ricotta mixture on top of noodles. Ladle tomato and beef sauce over ricotta, top with 1/8 cup of Mozzarella Cheese. Layer remaining noodles on top of Mozzarella cheese and then repeat the process, layering the ricotta mixture, then the sauce and finally the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling. Allow to sit for 5 minutes prior to cutting and serving.