One Pot Lasagna

Ingredients

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Break the lasagna noodles into roughly 2-inch pieces. Grate the onion, mince the garlic and chop the basil.

2. 2

   Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Add the ground beef and sausage and brown them for about 8 minutes, breaking the meat into lentil-sized pieces, until fully cooked.

3. 3

   Stir in the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook 3-5 minutes, until the onion is softened.

4. 4

   Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens to a rusty brick red.

5. 5

   Add the crushed tomatoes, water, chili flake, oregano, Better Than Bouillon and sugar, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes.

6. 6

   Take the pot off the heat. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt and/or sugar if needed, then stir in the basil.

7. 7

   In a bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, black pepper and egg until smooth.

8. 8

   Scatter one-third of the noodles over the sauce in an even layer and press them down until fully submerged. Repeat two more times, pressing each layer under the sauce before adding the next. On the final layer, push sauce up and over any exposed noodles.

9. 9

   Spoon the ricotta mixture over the top in 12 to 15 evenly spaced dollops.

10. 10

    Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan.

11. 11

    Wipe any sauce off the inside rim of the pot with a damp towel.

12. 12

    Cover and bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15 minutes.

13. 13

    Raise the oven to 450°F (230°C), remove the lid and bake 15-20 minutes more, until the cheese is deeply browned in spots, the edges bubble and a knife slides through the noodles with no resistance.

14. 14

    Rest the lasagna for 20 minutes before serving.

15. 15

    Optional homemade ricotta: Line a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Heat the milk, cream and salt in a saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes, whisking often, until it reaches 190°F (88°C). Add the vinegar and stir very gently to combine. Let sit 15 minutes, until the curds and whey separate. Gently pour into the cheesecloth, lift it out and let drain for about 20 minutes.