This recipe has been handed down over several generations. I do not know the actual origin, whether it originated in Sicily, where my Great-Grandfather was born, or whether it was concocted on the family’s kitchen stove in New Orleans. I can only attest that it has been, and continues to be, a special occasion whenever it is prepared and served to family and honored guests.
Cook/prep time: 3-4 hours Serves: 8-10 guests
- 1 1/2 lb. Ground beef or chuck
- 1 lb. Sweet Italian sausage (removed from casing)
- 3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil (enough to cover bottom of 2 qt. saucepan)
- 2 medium onions (about 2 1/2 cups, chopped)
- 8 cloves garlic, diced
- Seasoned salt
- Pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp. Dried basil
- 1 tsp. Dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
- 2 Tbs. Dried parsley, (or 3 Tbs. Freshly chopped)
- 3/4 tsp. Fennel or anise seed (optional if sausage contains this ingredient)
- 1/2 Tbs. Sugar
- 2 Tbs. Flour
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 7 oz. Beef broth (low sodium)
- 28 oz can whole or diced tomatoes
- 14 oz can whole or diced tomatoes
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 1 lb. Fresh button mushrooms
- 3 Tbs. Butter
- 2 medium eggplants (peeled & sliced lengthwise – 1/4 in. thick)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 lb. Grated whole-milk mozzarella (or mozzarella/provelone mix)
- 1 lb. Lasagna noodles
Equipment needed:
- two baking dishes: 9x13” & 8x8” (or equivalent)
- one 5 1/2 qt. pot (sauce)
- one 8 qt. pot (pasta)
- two sheet pans
- one 12” frying pan (mushrooms)
Working in batches, brown ground beef and Italian sausage in a 2 qt. saucepan with salt & pepper. Drain well. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the grease in the pan. Set meat aside in a large bowl.
Add olive oil to coat the pan, apx. 1/8 cup (total grease/oil). Cook onion over medium-low heat until soft, (while waiting, skip down to step two). Once onion is soft & translucent, add garlic. Cook for another minute - careful not to burn.
Add:
- Seasoned salt, (about 1 teaspoon)
- Pepper (about 1/3 teaspoon, or ten turns of a cook’s peppermill)
- Thyme, Basil, Parsley, Oregano, and Sugar
- Anise/Fennel seed (optional)
Add flour until mixture approaches doughy consistency, then stir in wine and broth. The mixture should now resemble thick gravy. Pour mixture into blender or food processor (or use immersion blender). Remove after onions have been chopped, but not purified. Pour back into the pan.
Stir in canned tomatoes/juice and tomato paste over medium-low heat. It might look a little thick at this point; not to worry - the tomatoes will release additional juice as they simmer. You may also thin it later with broth and/or wine.
Add the cooked meat to the sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer. In a separate pan, saute mushrooms in butter over med-high heat until carmelized. Lightly salt. Add mushrooms to the meat sauce.
Simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often. Do not allow sauce to scorch on the bottom of pan.
If the sauce still looks too thick after fifteen minutes, add broth and/ or wine. Keep in mind that a thin sauce makes for runny lasagna.
Peel and slice eggplant lengthwise (or rounds). Ideal thickness is 1/4 inch. Submerge slices in water for a few minutes, then towel dry.
Place slices on two lightly oiled sheet pans. Brush both sides liberally with olive oil. Salt & pepper...roast in a pre-heated oven @ 400º for 25 to 30 minutes or until just golden brown.
Cook lasagna noodles in (apx.) 25 cups salted, boiling water per package directions, (I used Barilla brand, boiled for 8 minutes) . Place in cold water to keep from overcooking. Do not overcook the noodles, or they will fall apart during assembly.
Preheat oven @ 350 degrees
Reserve 3 cups of sauce to cover the top layer (total for both pans).
Place just enough sauce liquid to cover bottom of pan(s). Between the two pans, add alternating layers of:
- Noodles (cut to fit pan, if necessary)
- Sauce (1.5 cups per layer, reserve 3 cups for the top)
- Cheese (4 oz mozz. / 3 oz parm. per layer)
- Eggplant
Continue layering until you run out of ingredients. The final layer should be, (from the top): cheese, sauce, noodle.
The noodles should overlap slightly. The eggplant need not blanket the entire lasagna. Three slices (or five to six rounds) of eggplant per layer works perfectly.
Do not leave exposed noodles on the top layer, even at the edges, or they will become tough (inedible).
The assembled lasagna, if covered securely with plastic wrap and foil, can be kept in the freezer for several weeks. If using a frozen lasagna, allow it to thaw completely.
Cover pan(s) with parchment + foil. Bake @ 350 degrees for 55 minutes, then continue baking uncovered until the top looks done (about five minutes). Remove from oven, let pan cool slightly before serving.