My Sicilian Family Lasagna

Uh oh, well here goes another recipe that was inspired by again, more stuff in the fridge! When I was recipe testing for my Veggie Zucchini Lasagna Spirals recipe that I recently posted, I originally made twice as much ricotta cheese mixture. I didn’t know how much I would need, so I decided I would rather have too much than not enough. Well, enter another reason to cook, and use up what I had too much of! I only know of a couple recipes that call for ricotta cheese: lasagna, and cannolis, but this mixture already had egg and mozzarella cheese in it, so lasagna it is! I rarely make lasagna because it is a bit time- and dish-intensive, but this is a family recipe passed down from my Sicilian grandmother and it turns out fantastic EVERY time!

Given, since I am vegetarian and already had this ricotta mixture made up, it is not my family’s original recipe, but in fact I think my twists make it a bit healthier by adding those extra veggies!

Not vegetarian? I’ll add some extra steps that make it closer to the original. That being said, the original recipe has been passed down on this index card that is so close to falling apart. It has food stains all over it, and you know it’s legit. There were not actual measurements for anything (for example, it says tomato sauce, cheese, etc.) so what I am putting in the recipe is the measurements I used to make the dish in the photos, and my best approximation of how it can be duplicated for the next generations to come. Vieni mangia (come eat)!

Print Recipe

My Sicilian Family Lasagna

One of the oldest recipes passed down to me through generations of my Sicilian family, with a Nicola twist! Delicious old fashioned lasagna. 

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Author: Nicola

Ingredients

For Lasagna:

• 1 box lasagna noodles*
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/4 cup grated romano cheese**

Homemade Tomato Sauce

• 2-3 links sausage (optional)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (if desired) diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 yellow onion chopped
• 3 15 oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp garlic salt (we use Lawry’s)
• 1 tsp pepper

Ricotta Mixture

• 1 15oz tub ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated romano cheese
• 2 cups spinach finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
• 1 egg

Instructions

• Sauce: Fry 2-3 links of sausage (if using) and mushrooms (if using), with olive oil, onion, and garlic. When cooked through, add all 3 cans of tomato sauce, plus seasonings (oregano, garlic salt, pepper). Simmer sauce for at least 30 minutes – the longer, the better! If not using sausage, I recommend adding another two tbsp of olive oil to get a smoother consistency of the sauce.
• Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water, following directions on box until al dente. DO NOT overcook – we are also baking these so if anything, they can be slightly underdone. Drain noodles, immediately separate noodles out on an even layer on baking sheets, foil, parchment paper, silicone mats, anything you have. The most important thing here is to not have the noodles stick to each other. I find I do not need extra oil here if I can just get them separated quickly, but you might need to spritz them with extra oil.
• While noodles are cooking, combine ricotta mixture (ricotta, 1 cup mozarella cheese, 1/4 cup romano, spinach, basil, and egg).
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Assembly: when all components are ready, it’s time to assemble! In a baking dish, put a thin layer of tomato sauce down on the bottom. Layer lasagna noodles to make even layer across dish (will take 2-3 sheets). Top each layer with a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce, followed by a sprinkling of the mozzarella/monterey jack mixture. Repeat these layers until you’ve used half the lasagna noodles.
• At the halfway point, add another thin layer of tomato sauce (like normal), but follow with the ricotta mixture. Spread mixture evenly across the entire layer. Follow with remaining layers of lasagna noodles, sauce, and cheese. If there is extra sauce remaining, pour sauce over the top. Top with extra mozzarella/monterey jack cheese and romano. 
• Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. If desired, uncover and broil for a few minutes to get cheese bubbling on top. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Notes

*REAL lasagna noodles, people. Not the no boil. Not the half sheets. Make the real ones. The texture is SO much better!

**Romano cheese is a saltier, nuttier cousin of parmesean. In my family, romano cheese is all we use. Feel free to sub parmesean though if this is not a common ingredient in your fridge.