Mama's Lasagna

My mom is from the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains in the Veneto region of Italy (North East). She grew up poor on a very small... I'll call it a farm, but that would be an overstatement from what we Americans call a farm. That being said, her family used EVERY bit of edible resource that could be obtained. It's a very different perspective than what most of us here in the U.S. would consider "Italian cuisine". The dishes tend to use more meat, and typically not the lean variety (remember, LIMITED resources... no Whole Foods in which to shop, that's for sure). So, my mother, having had the fortune of meeting my father and coming to a country where she no longer had to hope to eat, altered at least SOME of the ingredients for the recipes she learned from her grandmother. Please keep in mind that this is not "traditional" lasagna, and probably isn't for everyone... but we love it, and i hope you will, too. Buon appetito!

Steve D. @mamascooking

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Ingredients

1 lblean ground beef
1/2 lbground sweet Italian sausage
2large white onions (chopped)
10-12 cloves(Lots) garlic (minced)
28 ozcanned whole tomatoes
1 qtmilk
3 slicesVelveeta cheese
6provolone cheese slices
2 cupsItalian 5 cheese blend (shredded)
1 cupparmesan cheese
Handfulrosemary
About less than half handful sage
2boxes flat lasagna noodles
3/4 cupflour
2full sticks of butter
Olive oil
black pepper
1tbls ground cinnamon
1/2chicken bouillon
1 tspsugar
3/4tbls ground nutmeg
salt

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Steps

1

Meat sauce:
-put ROSEMARY and SAGE in herb net
-Put some oil and butter in pot and saute ONION and GARLIC
-add SAUSAGE and BEEF; brown
-blend TOMATOES; add to pot
-add 1tsp BLACK PEPPER, 1tbls CINNAMON, 1tsp SUGAR, 1/2 BOUILLON to pot
-add ROSEMARY and SAGE in net to the pot
-simmer until most of the water cooks off
-add 3 slices VELVEETA
-remove from heat and set aside
2

Butter sauce:
-in another pot, melt 3tbls BUTTER
-add quart of MILK, bring to simmer
-add 3/4tbls NUTMEG
-add 1/2tsp SALT
-add 1/2tsp PEPPER
-slowly add FLOUR to thicken (be careful!)
3

Noodles:
-boil water, oil, and salt
-get 2 large bowls; one w/ ice water, other w/water and a little oil
-boil the noodles just maybe 2 at a time. Careful not to let them break or stick to each other
-remove noodle, place in ice to cool(and rinse), then in oil/water mix.
-place noodle on dry towel and pat dry as you go.
*NOT A GOOD IDEA to do all noodles at the same time. They will dry up while your trying to make your layers. Make them as you go.
4

Layer and bake:
-in a large dish, spoon out MEAT SAUCE and BUTTER SAUCE on the bottom and coat the bottom of dish
-add layer of cooked noodles ask the way to edges
-add another coat of SAUCES
-add just one type of CHEESE.
-repeat steps while alternating CHEESE types between layers. Make sure you have enough SAUCES and CHEESE to go on top!
*this should be enough ingredients to make 4 layers of noodles, which includes the bottom one.
-cover with foil and bake at 350° for about 40 minutes. You can uncover for the last 5-10 minutes if you like the "crunch", but I don't.
-take out, uncover, and let sit for 5-8 minutes to allow for easier cutting/serving and a better presentation.
--->this is a cheesy, gooey, fattening, greasy, delicious, and special meal. You can adjust by browning and draining meat, using butter substitute, and low fat cheeses.