Hearty Meat Lasagna

I am going to put a plug in here for my favorite cookbook "The New Best Recipe Book" from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated. On one date night, Greg and I decided instead of going out to dinner, we would each buy a book instead. I think we had a $15 budget. Well, I was drawn to this book. It was over my "budgeted" amount but I told him I really wanted it and batted my eyelashes sweetly. He without thinking twice told me to get it and he would use the leftover amount to get himself a paperback. Isn't that sweet? Anyway, it was WELL worth it because this is a great cookbook! The premise is that they tried 1,000 recipes in every version possible until the found the best recipe for different dishes. At the beginning of every recipe is a description of their testing process and how they decided this recipe was the very best one. Every recipe I've tried is delicious and just as they described. Local friends~ They have it at the library if you want to try it out before buying it!

So tonight I decided to try their lasagna recipe and it was a HUGE hit! In fact, Greg said "Holy Good Lasagna!" (On the first bite and without any prompting from me. ha ha.) I hadn't even told him that I added heavy cream at that point or that I used THE book. But, he said at the end of the meal that he was sure that was the "best lasagna I'd ever had!" Yeah for that! And here it is so you can get the WOW from your family too!

HEARTY MEAT LASAGNA

from "The New Best Recipe Book" by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated.

INGREDIENTS

Tomato-Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 lb meat loaf mix or 1/3 pound each ground beef chuck, ground veal, ground pork* (see note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream (also known as heavy whipping cream)
1 (28 ounce) can pureed tomatoes

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomato, drained

Ricotta Mozzarella and Pasta Layers:
15 ounces whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese (1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 cups)

*Note* The recipe says: If you can't find meat loaf mix for the sauce, or if you choose not to eat veal, substitute 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, for the meat loaf mix. I say: I couldn't find what I needed so I cheated and used a pound of ground beef. Shhh....don't tell!

DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. For the sauce: Pre-heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cook about 2 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium high. Add meat, salt and pepper. Cook until meat loses it's raw color, but has not browned, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and only the fat remains, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the pureed and drained diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to low until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set the sauce aside. (The sauce can be cooled, covered, and refigerated for 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)

6. For the Layers: Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the parmesan, the basil, egg, salt, pepper in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until creamy and well combined, set aside.
7. Smear the entire bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of the sauce. (avoid large chunks of meat.) Place 3 noodles on top of the sauce. Drop 3 T. of the ricotta mixture onto each of the noodles and smear with the back of a spoon.
8. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture. Top with 3 more noodles. Continue the layering process of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times.
9. Place the remaining 3 noodles on the sauce, spread with remaining sauce, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup of parmesan.
10. Lightly spray large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake about 25 minutes until the cheese is spotty brown and the sauce is bubbling.
12. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

Other note: The assembled, unbaked lasagna, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, defrost it in the refrigerator for a day or two and bake as directed, extending the baking time by 5 minutes.