Few meals are synonymous with a Sunday family dinner quite like a homemade plate of lasagna, and Philip and Mystique of Chef Sous Chef couldn’t agree more. “Lasagna resembles your finest ensemble; it’s the pasta equivalent of the comb-over, button-up shirt and shiny shoes you wear to church.” As a staple recipe that every home chef should have in their repertoire, it was a no-brainer for the husband-and-wife food blogging duo to include their take on the classic in their new cookbook, Eat With Us. With a dynamic combination of fresh pasta, cheese, fresh herbs and a tangy meat sauce – this dish is sure to be a family favourite for dinners to come.
Sauce:
- ¼ lb (110 g) pancetta, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ lbs (675 g ) Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 lb (450 g ) ground beef
- 3 (28 oz/796 ml) cans Italian D.O.P. tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp chopped basil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
Cheese Filling:
- 4 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs2 tbsp chopped basil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Lasagna:
- 1½ lbs (675 g ) fresh lasagna sheets
- 2½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ lb (225 g ) buffalo mozzarella cheese
Serves 8 | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Make the sauce: Place the pancetta in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp.
Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the sausage and ground beef in golf-ball-sized pieces and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, breaking up the meat with your spoon as it cooks, until brown. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, basil and red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste and remove from heat.
Make the cheese filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs, basil, salt and pepper until smooth, then set aside.
Assemble the lasagna: Add 2 cups of sauce to the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 4-inch pan. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, then spread about 1 cup of the cheese filling on top. Spoon on 1½ cups of sauce, covering the cheese evenly, then sprinkle with ½ cup of Parmesan. Repeat with three more layers. For the fifth and final layer, spread 2 cups of sauce on top. Tear and lay buffalo mozzarella over top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Pierce the lasagna in several spots with a knife to prevent the noodles from creating large bubbles when it bakes. There should be about 2 to 3 cups of tomato sauce left for serving.
Bake for 1 hour, until the cheese is bubbling and edges are brown and crispy. Cool for 15 minutes before serving with the leftover tomato sauce.
Elevate: Spoon ¼ cup of meat sauce onto a white dinner plate and spread evenly in a circular motion. Top with a square of lasagna, a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan and basil leaves.
Tip: If you can’t find fresh lasagna sheets, you can use two packages of dried lasagna noodles and cook according to the package directions prior to assembly.
Looking for the perfect dessert to accompany your meal? Try Chef Sous Chef’s irresistible amaretti cookie recipe.
Eat with Us‘s recipes are inspired by Philip and Mystique’s family favorites growing up and the multicultural city they live in. The chapters are organized by occasion to reflect the way we truly eat today: Simple (weekday meals), Comfort (food for the soul), Lavish (special occasions), Al Fresco (dining outdoors), and Feasts (larger parties). From breakfast to dinner, and salads to sweets, these recipes celebrate and elevate home cooking. Purchase the book on Amazon, at Chapters-Indigo, or at an independent bookstore near you.