Episode 194: Lasagna

You say ri-cahhh-ta, Molly says ri-cohh-tta. Today we look beyond Stouffer's, fangirl over Lynn Rossetto Kasper and chat cheese beds while diving into squares of piping hot cheese and crusty corners. We get boiling and layering tips while staying true to tradition. EXPLICIT.www.spilledmilkpodcast.com

Matthew's Lasagna Made Simple

12 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use Trader Joe’s or Barilla brand)

12 ounces Italian sausage

1 jar tomato sauce (I like Bertolli Vineyard series, but use whatever you like)

12 ounces mozzarella, shredded 2 ounces Parmigiano, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil a large pot of water. Add 6 of the lasagna noodles and boil until just shy of tender. In my experience, this takes 6 minutes for Trader Joe’s, 2 minutes for Barilla. Precision isn’t important, as long as they don’t fall apart. Stir frequently so the noodles don’t fuse together. Yes, you’re pre-boiling the no-boil noodles. Sorry.
Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up into bite-size chunks. In a bowl, toss the two cheeses to combine.
Remove the first batch of noodles with a skimmer and set on a towel-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Add the second batch of noodles to the pot and begin building the lasagna while they boil.
Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of a 9”x13” baking pan. Lay on three noodles, then top with additional sauce (about 3 tablespoons per noodle) and scatter with ⅓ of the sausage. Top with a thin layer of cheese and begin the next layer. You’ll be making four layers total. Make the final (top) cheese layer nice and thick.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is nicely browned. Serve immediately; this also reheats extremely well, in the oven or microwave.