Special Occasion Lasagna Everyday

There are some recipes that are hard to improve or adapt. (This lasagna is the only dish I have known Dale to eat three nights in a row. In fact, I had to freeze the remainder so we—read me--would have a stash of quality frozen dinners.) The economy of time on this lasagna recipe from Cooks Illustrated can’t be beat, and it alone is worth the price of a subscription. Because I save so much time, I splurge on ingredients: real Parmesan, good ricotta and mozzarella, fresh basil, and organic Glen Muir canned tomatoes. If I run out of basil, I’ll round off the balance with tarragon, chervil, marjoram or oregano. I did find that using lamb in place of veal creates a richer, meatier flavor and is easier to find at the local ghetto Safeway. (Get extra and make meatloaf later in the week.) Two lasagnas take only a little more time to make than a single lasagna. The assembled, unbaked lasagna, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, defrost it in the refrigerator for a day or two and bake as directed, extending the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Special Occasion Lasagna Everyday (Adapted from Cooks Illustrated)
Serves 6 to 8

Tomato-Meat Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
6 medium cloves garlic, green germs removed and pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/3 pound each ground beef chuck, ground lamb, and ground pork
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup heavy cream

1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (original recipe calls for draining, but I don’t bother)

Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Pasta Layers
15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim), 1 3/4 cups)
2 ½ ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8- or 9-ounce package
16 ounces whole milk mozzarella, shredded (4 cups)


No-boil noodles and a quick meat sauce that cooks in just 15 minutes are the secrets of our streamlined lasagna recipe.


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)
3. Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
4. Assemble first lasagna layer:
a) Smear entire bottom of 9- by 13-inch baking dish with 1/4 cup meat sauce. Place 3 noodles on top of sauce.
b) Drop 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture down center of each noodle. Level by pressing flat with back of measuring spoon.
c) Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded mozzarella.
d) Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce evenly over cheese.
Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of sauce, spread remaining sauce over noodles, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.