Double-Duty Cooking: Lasagna Three Times

Lasagna is one of those dishes that a lot of people enjoy, but few make from scratch because it just takes so darn long. Why not make three pans at once? By doing all of the heavy work at once, you are saving time and money. Plus, you can pronounce all of the ingredients.

The baked Italian dish takes its name from the broad, flat noodles that the lasagna casserole is built around. The Greek word "laganon" meant broad, flat strips of pasta and references are found in mythology. There is also reference to this by the Roman Apicio, written in 1 A.D., stating "the yielding lagane to enclose timbales and pie stuffing."

I use this recipe to fill three pans. You want something deeper than a typical 9x13 brownie pan. I buy a three-pack of aluminum pans that are just over 4 inches deep at Kroger for $2.99. Just because a pan is made from aluminum doesn't mean it can't be washed and reused.

Triple-Duty Lasagna
2 pounds dried lasagna noodles
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds ground Italian sausage
1 sweet onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
2 cups red wine
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons half-and-half
28 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large pot, boil the lasagna noodles until they are barely tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drizzle with olive oil and stir it around to keep the noodles from sticking together.

To make the sauce, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat and add the ground beef and sausage. Brown the meat until the pink is gone, and then add the onion, carrots and celery. Stir until the vegetables are just tender, then add the garlic until you start to smell it. Before the garlic burns, add the wine to deglaze the pan, stirring well. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, half-and-half and the spices and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, make the cheese filling. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs and grated parmesan.

If you plan on baking one pan right away, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the three lasagna pans side by side, spray them with non-stick pan spray and work in an assembly line fashion. Using a ladle, pour just enough sauce to coat the bottom of the pans. Each layer of noodles will be three noodles wide, topped with the ricotta filling, then the meat sauce and finally a layer of shredded mozzarella. There are enough ingredients for four layers of noodles, plus all the rest of the goodies, in each pan. The very top layer should be sauce. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the internal temperature is at least 160 degrees. If you wish, sprinkle the top with more grated Parmesan cheese as soon as you remove it from the oven.

To freeze the lasagna, wrap tightly with aluminum foil. To bake from the freezer, it takes less time if you leave the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. If you're baking straight from the freezer, leave the foil covering on the pan and allow a minimum of two hours.

More from Debbie Henthorn:
Double-Duty Cooking: All Purpose Italian Red Sauce
Double-Duty Cooking: Italian Meatballs
Variety of Herbs and Spices Makes it Easy to Cook from Scratch