Rick Pams Lasagna Recipes

EASIEST LASAGNA EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and onion and cook until beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomatoes and Italian seasoning until well combined. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and egg; set aside. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat with a second layer. Top with remaining noodles, tomato mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan.* Place into oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbling. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until top is browned in spots. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve, garnished with parsley, if desired.

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with racks in the center and lowest positions. Put a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips.
• Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into thirds, making 9 equal pieces (they should look like large chicken tenders). Put one sheet of plastic wrap on a clean cutting board. Put a piece of chicken in the center of the plastic wrap and top with another sheet. Pound the chicken with flat side of a meat mallet until it is very thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Whisk together the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, several grinds of black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using in a shallow dish until combined. Whisk 3 eggs with 1 tablespoon water in a second shallow dish. Whisk together the panko, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using in a third shallow dish.
• Dredge one piece of chicken in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly. Shake off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture, turning to fully coat. Let the excess egg drip off, then press the chicken firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat and packing the crumbs into any crevices. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
• Line a clean rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 pieces of breaded chicken and cook, flipping once, until the breading is golden-brown and crisp and the chicken is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain, then season with salt. Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with the remaining butter, olive oil and chicken, making 3 batches total.
• Whisk the ricotta, remaining 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth and combined.
• Spoon a quarter of the tomato sauce (about 3/4 cup) into the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish and top with 4 noodles, placing them against the edges of the pan in an even layer (it's ok if they overlap). Spread a third of the ricotta mixture (about 2/3 cup) in an even layer over the noodles and top with 3 pieces of chicken. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat with another 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, 4 noodles, 2/3 cup ricotta, 3 pieces of chicken, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Finally, add another 3/4 cup tomato sauce, the remaining 4 noodles, the remaining 2/3 cup ricotta and the remaining 3 pieces of chicken. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. (It's ok if the lasagna is slightly higher than the edges of the pan.) Cover the pan tightly with nonstick aluminum foil (see Cook's Note).
• Bake until the noodles are tender and the edges are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Uncover the lasagna and bake until the cheese has completely melted and browned in spots, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.

LASAGNA DIP AND CHIPS

Steps:

• For the chips: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook them according to the package instructions for al dente, typically about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander and transfer the cooked noodles to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Once cool, move the noodles to a cutting board and cut them into chips. To do this, cut a noodle in half shortways to make 2 pieces. Cut each of the 2 pieces in half shortways again to create 4 rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to create 8 triangles. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
• Place the noodle pieces in a bowl and toss with the Parmesan, olive oil and oregano.
• Arrange the noodles on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray, making sure the noodles are in a single layer and not touching one another. Bake until crisp and golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
• For the dip: Raise the temperature of the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef and sausage until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook on low for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld and the sauce reduce slightly.
• Meanwhile, mix the cottage cheese, ricotta, Parmesan and all but a pinch each of the basil and parsley in a medium bowl. Set the remaining herbs aside for garnishing the dip.
• Spread half of the meat and sauce over the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Using a spoon, dollop half of the cottage cheese mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining meat and sauce, cottage cheese mixture and mozzarella.
• Bake until the mozzarella is fully melted and the dip is bubbly, 15 to 17 minutes. Serve hot in the casserole dish with the lasagna chips on the side. Garnish with the remaining basil and parsley.

SHEET PAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cover the bottom of a quarter sheet pan with 1 cup of the marinara sauce. Top with 4 of the no-boil noodles. Cover the noodles with half of the ricotta, then sprinkle the ricotta with salt and black pepper. Spoon over half of the pesto and spread it so it is evenly distributed. Arrange 6 slices of mozzarella in a layer on top of the pesto. Mix the sausage crumbles and meatballs together, then spoon half over the mozzarella. Sprinkle with a pinch of garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Repeat the layers once more, ending with the red pepper flakes.
• Add the remaining cup of marinara over the top and sprinkle over the grated Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until hot and bubbly, another 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let the lasagna sit for about 10 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

ALL-CRUST SHEET-PAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl with a slotted spoon and reserve the drippings in the pan.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic to the pan. When the garlic begins to brown at the edges, about 1 minute, add the tomatoes with their juices, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes.
• Mix the ricotta, egg, milk, basil, 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Spread 2/3 cup of the tomato sauce across the bottom of an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan. Next, space out 6 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, turning them to fit so there are 2 noodles across and 3 noodles down. (The noodles will expand when they cook.) Top the noodles with all of the ricotta mixture, all of the sausage, 2/3 cup tomato sauce, and half the shredded mozzarella. Add another layer of 6 lasagna noodles and top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.
• Lightly oil one side of a large piece of foil. Cover the pan with the foil, greased side down. Bake until the noodles are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is very crusty and brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

PAM'S FAVORITE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown ground beef and sausage together and drain (I also rinse with water to wash away some the fat).
• Put meat in food processor and pulse until it is fine and no chunks of meat left.
• Put in pot and add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, seasoning and sugar. Let simmer while noodles are cooking.
• Mix cheeses together using 2 cups of mozzarella with all of the ricotta and parmesan cheese. Mix in the egg.
• When ready to assemble, put some sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and then start layering the noodles, cheese mixture and sauce. There should be three layers of 4 noodles and you should end with sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozz. cheese. The pan will be full.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Cover dish with foil for the first 15 minutes so cheese will not get too brown.
• When done, let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
• You can prepare this the day before and put it in the refrigerator. Bake the next day and Enjoy!

LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
• In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

WORLD'S BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

THE BEST EVER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, fresh basil, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, cook bulk sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Add to sauce; simmer until mixture is thickened, about 1 hour longer., While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350°. Place sausage links on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly; slice into 1/4-in.-thick pieces., In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, dried basil and remaining sugar., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spread 2 cups sauce. Arrange 4 noodles over sauce; spread with a third of the ricotta mixture. Add 7 provolone slices, a third of the sliced sausage and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, using only 1 cup sauce per layer. Spread with 2 cups sauce (reserve remaining sauce for serving on the side), remaining 2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese (dish will be full)., Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until bubbly and deep golden brown, 60-65 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining meat sauce.

RICK & PAM'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef w/onion, seasoning w/garlic & chili powder; drain.
• Stir in pasta sauce and simmer until heated through. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
• Spread approximately 1 cup of pasta sauce in bottom of 13x9" baking dish/pan. Top with 4 of the cooked lasagna noodles, layered with approximately 1 cup of the pasta sauce and 1 cup each of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; repeat. Top with the remaining four lasagna noodles, leftover sauce and parmesan cheese.