Lasagna with Cheddar Cheese

Lasagna with Cheddar Cheese Recipe

Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in purée

Béchamel Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

12 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded aged Cheddar cheese

Instructions
1. To prepare meat sauce, brown beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat about 10 minutes, breaking into small pieces. Spoon out most of the fat. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is nearly evaporated. Stir in tomato paste, chives, parsley and crushed red pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat. Simmer until sauce thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. To prepare béchamel sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook and stir with whisk until thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Spread 3/4 cup meat sauce in bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Place 4 sheets of lasagna crosswise in pan over sauce, overlapping slightly. (The sheets will not reach all the way across the pan, but they will expand as they bake.) Top with one-third of the meat sauce (spreading evenly to cover noodles) and then one-third of the bechamel sauce. Top with one-third of the cheese. Repeat layers (starting with noodles) twice.
5. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes, covering loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes if top browns too much. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serves 10 to 12.


VARIATIONS:
French-Style Lasagna: Substitute Comté (French Gruyère) cheese for the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Substitute 1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary for the parsley. Use ground pork instead of the Italian sausage.

Italian-Style Lasagna: Substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano for the Cheddar cheese. Substitute 2 teaspoons dried basil and 2 teaspoons dried oregano for the parsley.

Recipes by Wini Moranville, "Relish a Classic Dish," March 2007.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: 260 calories, 24g fat, 24g prot., 31g carbs., 2g fiber, 710mg sodium.


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I love lasagna, and could never get it right!!! I got it right this time. This is a fantastic recipe. I did the Italian version and in my small town couldn't find the right cheeses but did find a shredded cheese package called "4 Cheese Italian blend" Worked just fine. This is creamy and has wonderful flavor. I tried it on company and they said it was the best lasagna they ever had. I tend to agree, it was great as leftovers, even on the 3rd day. (it's gone now!!) and rather than using the spices I used jarred spaghetti sauce (4 cheese) and a small can of Italian tomatoes, chopped. I totally agree with Wini that the luciousness lies in the creamy bechamel sauce. I highly recommend this recipe!!!!
Franny
6/8/07 2:34 PM
I made this lasagna recipe yesterday morning for company at night. (When using the "oven-ready" noodles, I think it's a good idea to let it sit awhile before cooking.) I used the exact ingredients and was very pleased with the results for the most part. Next time, however, I will halve again the meat sauce from the wine through the tomatoes. Where no liquid (the meat sauce or the bechamel) covered the noodles, it tended to be a bit "crunchy." I will definitely try the other two alternatives (French-style and Italian-style). I was intrigued by the two sauces, and it was a nice and different result--definitely worth the effort. Thanks for a great recipe.
Cooking Queen
6/7/09 3:47 PM

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