Tomato Tomatoe

Mom’s lasagna

Lasagna was a dish that was always served around the Holidays in my house. My grandma would make it for Easter, New Years Day and the odd time for Sunday lunch. Each family member would be ecstatic to see this glorious meal grace the dinner table. My grandma’s lasagna was different from a traditional lasagna. In her lasagna, she would layer homemade pomodoro sauce, thin sheets of homemade pasta, followed by mini meatballs that were rolled by hand, ricotta, mozzarella cheese and sometimes small pieces of hardboiled egg. This lasagna was the greatest lasagna I ever had in my life, and I don’t think anything will come close to replacing it, except for my mothers of course. Daydreaming about gathering around the table for Sunday lunch at my grandparents’ house and eating homemade lasagna takes me back to simpler times. Thinking about her lasagna and her food brings tears to my eyes. She was the one who filled each all of our bellies every Sunday with food and love. She would work tirelessly in the kitchen for hours creating humble and delicious food to feed her family. This is a time in my life that I deeply cherish, and it’s shaped the person who am I today and my relationship to food. My grandma is no longer with us, but my mother, sister and I carry on her traditions in the kitchen. During the Holidays, my mother, sister and I get together to make multiple lasagnas. Sometimes we make four to five, depending on how ambitious we are. It’s something that I look forward to every year and I know that my grandma is watching down on us while we cook in her memory.

This recipe is quite the production and does take time. It’s the perfect thing to make on a snow day or a cozy weekend spent at home. I like to make this lasagna in stages, the first day I’ll make the sauce. The second day will be the assembly day. This way you aren’t totally overwhelmed and you will enjoy making the lasagna much more. I hope you enjoy this recipe with your loved ones and love it as much as I do.

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mom’s lasagna

Ingredients – Lasagna

• 12-14 sheets of lasagna noodles (homemade or store bought)
• 1.5 litres of homemade Bolognese sauce
• 2.5 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tsp parsley (dried or fresh)
• 300 g shredded mozzarella cheese

Ingredients – Bolognese Sauce

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• Sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 lb. triple mix (ground pork, ground veal and ground beef)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 cups tomato puree (or two 680ml glass jars of passata)
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 5 basil leaves, torn
• Salt to season

Directions – Bolognese Sauce

1. Heat a large pot to medium-low heat. Add olive and butter. Once the butter begins to bubble, add finely diced celery, onions and carrots. Let this cook until translucent.
2. Add the triple mix and let this brown for a few minutes before you break it up. Once the meat has browned, begin to break it up using a wooden spatula. Cook the meat for 10 minutes until it’s golden brown and the moisture has evaporated.
3. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Let this cook for a few minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has caramelized. Add white wine and let reduce. Add tomato puree, milk, fresh basil, rosemary and chili flakes. Season with salt.
4. Let this cook on low for 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened. Stir periodically (every 5-10 minutes).
5. Let cool completely before storing in the fridge.

Directions – Lasagna

1. Add 2 cups ricotta, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parmigiano Reggiano, 1 tsp of parsley and a pinch of salt to a large bowl. Mix everything together using a fork. Set aside and grate the mozzarella.
2. If you are using dried store-bought pasta, cook according to the directions on the package. I used fresh pasta from the store and cooked it for 1 minute in salted, boiling water. Once the pasta is done cooking, carefully remove using a spider or fine mesh sieve and place the pasta sheets on a baking tray.
3. In a 10.5- x 7.5-inch baking dish, add a spoonful of Bolognese sauce to coat the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of pasta sheets (you may need to cut some of the pasta sheets so that they fit properly in the dish). Add a layer of Bolognese sauce followed by dallops of ricotta (I like to use my hands when adding the ricotta), finally add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat the process until the pasta sheets are done. The top layer should have Bolognese and mozzarella cheese.
4. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 375° F for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and set the oven to broil. Broil for 5-6 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
5. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.