To cook an authentic Italian lasagna, here's a traditional recipe and the ingredients you'll need:
Ingredients:
- Lasagna sheets (fresh or dried)
- Bolognese sauce (made with ground meat, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, red wine, tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and spices)
- Béchamel sauce (made with butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Note: This recipe assumes you have already prepared the Bolognese sauce. If you don't have it, you can make it beforehand by sautéing ground meat with the other ingredients mentioned above.
Here's a step-by-step guide to making lasagna:
Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on the lasagna sheet package.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna sheets according to the package instructions until they are al dente. Drain the sheets and drizzle some olive oil over them to prevent sticking.
In a baking dish, spread a thin layer of Bolognese sauce at the bottom.
Place a layer of cooked lasagna sheets over the sauce, covering the entire dish. If needed, you can cut the sheets to fit the shape of the dish.
Spread a layer of Béchamel sauce over the lasagna sheets, followed by a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella.
Repeat the layering process: Bolognese sauce, lasagna sheets, Béchamel sauce, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella. Continue until you have used up all the ingredients or reached the desired number of layers. Make sure to finish with a layer of Béchamel sauce and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and mozzarella on top.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, making sure it doesn't touch the cheese. This will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Once cooked, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the layers to set and makes it easier to slice.
Serve the lasagna hot, and enjoy!
Remember, lasagna can be customized with additional ingredients like sautéed vegetables or herbs, depending on your preference.