Lasagna

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Well, I guess this qualifies me as insane. But this time, I beat Einstein and I got the different results I have been seeking since the beginning of lasagna-making time.

Lasagna

1 package lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
3 C spaghetti sauce
1 ½ C water
½ C Parmesan cheese
1/4C chopped parsley
½ t salt
2 C mozzarella cheese
15 oz ricotta
2 eggs
¼ t pepper

Heat oven to 350. In a three quart saucepan, brown meat. Add spaghetti sauce and water, simmer 10 minutes. In a bowl, stir together ricotta, half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour about one cup sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 inch dish. Arrange three uncooked pasta pieces over sauce, cover with about 1 cup of sauce. Spread half of the cheese filling over the sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna noodles, sauce and cheese filling. Top with a layer of noodles and remaining sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil, bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving. 10-12 servings.

I’ve had this recipe for a few years now. The very first time I made it, the dish turned out great. With that success under my belt, I gave it another try a few months later. The result was a colossal failure. It was way too watery and it absolutely fell apart when you cut into it, just totally inedible. I was shocked and dismayed, but I persevered and tried again. Another disaster. By now the husband is questioning my sanity. Tried again, despite his pleas to never go near the recipe again. Another watery disaster. Completely defeated, I shelved the recipe indefinitely and satiated my lasagna cravings by ordering the dish at restaurants where trained professionals could create the pasta/meat/cheese masterpiece that I was destined to never produce.

So when I was compiling the list of recipes for this project, I found my long lost lasagna recipe and decided to give it another try. I’ve listed the ingredients above just the way the original recipe was written, and when I took a second look at the ingredient list I suddenly understood why my lasagna recipe was lacking. The whole problem was that its cup runneth over – this time with water. The recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of water to mix in with the sauce! It struck me that this was the reason for the problems. Sure you use uncooked noodles in the recipe, but there is no way this much water is required to ensure they are fully cooked and pliable when everything comes out of the oven. So I scrapped the water and voila – a lasagna that is neither watery nor dry and noodles that are completely cooked.

As usual, I made a few changes. I didn’t have any ground beef on hand so I didn’t use any. Meatless lasagna is just as good as the alternative. I also halved the recipe since I am just cooking for myself, and I added feta cheese to the ricotta mixture. The flavor of the feta really didn’t come through all that much, as I didn’t use a whole lot. I also used my fresh herbs from my little herb garden – parsley and oregano.

Here’s a tip – the recipe calls for a piece of aluminum foil to cover the dish before it goes into the oven. In my case, the fully assembled lasagna came up to the very top of the dish, including the mozzarella cheese, so in order to keep the cheese from sticking to the aluminum foil I sprayed the underside of the foil with a little Pam, and then put the foil down on top of the dish. That way when you take the foil off after it’s been cooking for 45 minutes, you don’t also pull all the cheese off with it. You’re welcome.


When I checked it after 45 minutes of cooking, I stuck a fork in various parts to check the doneness of the noodles. They were still kind of resistant, and I immediately regretted not adding just a little water to the sauce mix. But it was way too late for that now, so I put it back in the oven for the required 15 minutes and crossed my fingers. When it came out, the sauce was bubbling like a pent up volcano and the cheese had a nice browning around the edges. I let it cool for a few minutes and then cut a slice, noticing the noodles had definitely softened up in that last 15 minutes. Thank goodness.




The taste was good, but not earth shattering. It tasted like lasagna, and it was better than some places I’ve eaten lasagna as of late. I would cook it again. But the main thing is that it actually turned out well and was distinguishable as lasagna, not a watery mess. Huge accomplishment.