Ingredients
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1.8 Lb Ground Beeflean
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1.5 cup grated Ricotta
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1 tablespoon Olive Oil
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2.5 cups Tomato Sauce
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4 Lasagna Sheetsoftened in warm water
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to taste Oregano
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to taste Mediterranean Herbs
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to taste Basil - Fresh
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You can also add..
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1 cup Mushrooms
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1/3 cup Capsicum
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1/3 cup Zucchini
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4 medium Carrots
Steps for Lasagna with Beef & Ricotta Cheese
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1
Done
10 Minutes
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Prepare the ground beefPreheat oven to 320°F. Add oil to a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until brown, stir, breaking meat apart as it cooks. |
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2
Done
10 Minutes
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Season the mixtureOnce the ground beef has browned, add the tomato sauce and season with herbs to taste (at least oregano if you don't want anything else). Stir through and let simmer for 10 minutes. |
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3
Done
6 Minutes
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Prepare the Italian LasagnaPlace a small amount of tomato sauce in a square casserole dish and spread over the base. Add a layer of lasagna sheet, then top again with a thin layer of tomato sauce, a small amount of ricotta, and add the ground beef mixture. Continue until all lasagna sheets have been used. Finish by after the last lasagna sheet, pour the last tomato sauce and top with a great amount of grated ricotta cheese. |
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4
Done
30 Minutes
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Bake the LasagnaPlace the lasagna into the oven and cook for 25–30 minutes or until lasagne sheets are cooked. It will be from 6 to 8 servings. Enjoy! |
Additional Info for Lasagna with Beef & Ricotta Cheese
When it comes to lasagna, the Italian recipe is the best one to follow. But if you are an American citizen, some things must be changed a bit. I made this special Lasagna who follows the Italian recipe up to 80%, but for 20% I have changed the amount of each ingredient.
Content on this page…
About the Italian Lasagna recipe
Italian lasagna is one of the most searched Italian recipes over the internet. When the original taste doesn’t satisfy you, there are some variations, like this one, prepared specially for American people. It remains an Italian specialty, but the taste is balanced to be more liked by US persons. Besides the beef ingredient, I used ricotta instead of mozzarella because it adds a greater flavor instead of nullifying the seasonings. I wanted to layer with three types of cheese, but I already have in my cookbook this kind of recipe for lasagna… therefore, I gave up this idea. But, if you want to have 3-layer cheese, add also Cottage Cheese and grated Parmesan Cheese instead of only one.
What’s the difference between ricotta and mozzarella?
There isn’t a huge difference between ricotta and Mozzarella, but still. Mozzarella is a soft Italian cheese made from buffalo’s milk and is often used for pizza toppings, in salads, etc. Ricotta is a soft Italian unsalted whey cheese and resembles cottage cheese. However, mozzarella is clumpier than Ricotta, and in comparison to Ricotta, it has a milder flavor as well. Sometimes, you can substitute mozzarella with ricotta, but sometimes you cannot… and that’s because original ricotta doesn’t melt like mozzarella.
Can you freeze or refrigerate Italian lasagna?
The best thing about Lasagna is that it can be frozen for up to two months and a half. It is better to label it to remember when you made it and know when you can eat it. If you want to refrigerate it, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
The History of Italian Lasagna
In ancient Rome, there was a dish similar to traditional lasagna, called “lasagne” or “sausage” (“container” or “pot” in Latin), which described “rebirth Marcus” in the book.
According to Wiki History, Lasagne originated in Italy during the Middle Ages and has traditionally been ascribed to the city of Naples. The first recorded recipe was set down in the early 14th-century Liber de Coquina (The Book of Cookery).[3] It bore only a slight resemblance to the later traditional form of lasagne, featuring a fermented dough flattened into a thin sheet, boiled, sprinkled with cheese and spices, and then eaten with the use of a small pointed stick. Recipes written in the century following the Liber de Coquina recommended boiling the pasta in chicken broth and dressing it with cheese and chicken fat. In a recipe adapted for the Lenten fast, walnuts were recommended.
Some tips
Regarding the Italian Lasagna, I also have some tips for it:
- To further reduce the cost and saturated fat content of this meal, decrease the amount of ground beef by up to one-half and substitute it with hard vegetables. Suitable additions include onion, mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini, carrots, and celery.
- You can also reduce the amount of tomato soup for a less rich lasagne.
- Serve with a side of vegetables or salad. Aim for at least three different vegetables and choose seasonal produce to reduce the cost.
