Comfort Food: Two Sauce Lasagna Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is lasagna considered a comfort food? ›

Lasagna. This Italian classic doesn't require as much explaining as the previous entry. Lasagna hits all the comfort food pleasure points: Pasta, meaty tomato sauce, melty cheese, a crisp layer of cheese on top, all coming together in a rich mouthful that will send you right to the couch after eating.

Sugar: Two tablespoons of white sugar add subtle sweetness and enhance the flavor of the sauce. Spices and seasonings: This lasagna recipe is flavored with fresh parsley, dried basil leaves, salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and black pepper.

Let me break it to you: If you want to make a lasagna, three layers just won't cut it! For the perfect lasagna, you need at least 4-5 layers to really enjoy all those mouth-watering flavors. And, here's a pro-tip: make sure to season each layer generously, but not too much.

Start by spreading a layer of your tomato-based sauce (either a plain tomato sauce or your pre-made ragù) on the bottom of your dish. Next, add a single layer of pasta sheets. Then, add a layer of white sauce, followed by another single layer of pasta sheets.

Italian: opt for thin-crust pizza or tomato-based pastas, and toppings for both can be vegetables and lean meat; avoid deep-pan or stuffed-crust pizzas, creamy pasta sauces (such as carbonara), lasagna, garlic bread and anything with cured meats like pepperoni.

Milk. It tenderises the meat, to leave you with the most tender ragù.

Its mild flavor works really well with the mozzarella. Tomato Sauce & Paste: An important component in lasagna. Choosing your favorite tomato sauce will guarantee that you'll love this recipe. A good tomato paste helps to thicken but also adds a sweet and savory umami flavor.

(Do notice that I put the noodles criss cross – perpendicular from the layer below – it helps it to hold together when you serve it). So, the noodles directly on the cheese means there won't be enough for a top layer of noodles.

There's a lot of discussion around this topic in the lasagna recipe world, but generally most lasagna recipes start with a layer of red sauce, followed by a layer of white sauce, followed by a layer of pasta and cheese. Then you continue with this layering until you have completely filled your tray.

Do you bake lasagna covered or uncovered? ›

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cheese is golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Remove from heat, add cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until the cheese is melted. The Sauce should be thick but still easily pourable – the consistency of heavy cream (you need to be able to drizzle it over the Ragu when layering – see video). If it's too thick, add a splash of water or milk.

Many recipes can accommodate either marinara or tomato sauce. For example, both tomato-based sauces can be used for pasta, but the heavier, more complex tomato sauce can overpower lighter, simpler dishes, while marinara is less ideal for smothering proteins or filling out lasagnas.

These thicker types of pasta are much better equipped to handle the chunky sauce. This is not to be confused with spaghetti sauce, which is often also used in lasagna. Spaghetti sauce, on the other hand, is a tomato-based sauce that's much thinner and usually served with spaghetti (surprise!).

Comfort to me is synonymous with a bowl of a saucy pasta. While these days bolognese is preferred, it doesn't need to be one that's labored over for hours. I would equally love a dish of noodles with a simple spoonful of jarred Rao's.

As mentioned above, lasagne can actually be classified as a version of pasta (if the chef hasn't been too experimental with their recipe), so there are several similarities between the two, such as the use of the same dough.