Happy Labor Day! What are you doing today? Are you at the beach? Having a BBQ or cookout? Eating watermelon and running through sprinklers whilst catching lightning bugs? Good. Soak it in now. Labor Day is like summer's last hurrah. Now is the time to get in those last few minutes/hours/days of summa time. Appreciate your frosty beverages, your shorty shorts, your tan lines, your sun-in highlights while you can. The clock is ticking down.
To me, Labor Day is the official end to summer. Yes, I know fall doesn't technically begin for another three weeks. But let's not split hairs, okay? It's September. School starts this week. The mornings are getting chilly. Let's just call it fall and embrace it, shall we? So long, summer! It's been real. I'll see ya on the flip side. Autumn? Let's do this thang. Game on.
So, in honor of the fall season, I bring you a decidedly autumnal meal. Lasagna, deconstructed. Lasagna for the working gal...or guy. All the best parts of lasagna (the flavors, the texture, the ricotta!) without the fuss of layering and prepping all the components separately and baking it for-ev-er. Start to finish this lasagna took about 35 minutes. Beat that, regular lasagna! You may never do lasagna the same again...
Ingredients:
3 (14.5 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes (or 1.5 28 oz cans)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 lb hot sausage
8 (curly-edged) lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
8 (curly-edged) lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
Directions:
Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground and no large pieces remain, about 12 pulses.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef and sausage to saucepan. Cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's no longer pink.
Scatter the pasta in the saucepan, then pour the tomatoes over the top. Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20 minutes (if you don't stir it, the pasta will clump together and stick to the bottom and sides of the pot).
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Remove the saucepan from heat, and stir in half the mozzarella and parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the ricotta. Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Dot the remaining ricotta over the mixture by the tablespoon, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starting to brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
Note: If you have an oven-proof Dutch oven or cast iron skillet large enough, this can absolutely be a one pot meal. Just keep mixture in original dish, add cheeses as directed, transfer to oven and broil until cheese is melty.
Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground and no large pieces remain, about 12 pulses.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef and sausage to saucepan. Cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's no longer pink.
Scatter the pasta in the saucepan, then pour the tomatoes over the top. Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20 minutes (if you don't stir it, the pasta will clump together and stick to the bottom and sides of the pot).
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Remove the saucepan from heat, and stir in half the mozzarella and parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the ricotta. Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Dot the remaining ricotta over the mixture by the tablespoon, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starting to brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
Note: If you have an oven-proof Dutch oven or cast iron skillet large enough, this can absolutely be a one pot meal. Just keep mixture in original dish, add cheeses as directed, transfer to oven and broil until cheese is melty.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Source: adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America's Test Kitchen
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