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4.42 from 189 votes

Extra Cheesy Classic Homemade Lasagna.

A delicious homemade classic
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 40 minutes
Total Time5 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 1767kcal

Ingredients

Pasta (or use 1 pound of cooked dried lasagna noodles)

Lasagna

Béchamel Sauce

Instructions

Fresh Pasta Dough

  • 1. To make the dough using a stand mixer. Add the flour and eggs to the bowl and knead the dough, using the dough hook on medium speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball. If your dough seems dry add water 1 teaspoon at a time, being careful not to add too much water. I add 4-6 teaspoons. The dough should be moist, but not too sticky. If you add too much water just add a teaspoon of flour at a time to balance it out. 
    2. To make the dough by hand. Mix the eggs into the flour in a bowl usuing your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough with your hands until firm and smooth, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball. 
    3. Divide the dough into four balls and place each ball in a sandwich bag. 

Lasagna

  • Make the sauce. In a heavy bottomed pot, cook 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pancetta over medium heat, stirring, until the pancetta is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring, until the veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Push the veggies off to the side of the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the center of the pan and crumble in the ground sausage, ground chicken or ground beef. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes and then begin breaking up the meat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, parsley and thyme. Cook another minute or so.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups water, 1 cup milk, bay leaf, salt and pepper to the pot. Cover the pot and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2-3 hours. If the sauce seems too watery after 2 hours remove the lid and simmer until thickened. Discard the bay leaf, taste to season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. At this point the sauce can be placed in the fridge overnight or up to 3 days. You may also freeze the sauce.
  • Quarter the dough and shape into 4 balls. Place each ball in a sandwich bag. Set aside.
  • Now make the Béchamel Sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk in a steady stream. Add the nutmeg and simmer for 3-5 minutes, whisking until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in provolone and parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
  • To assemble the lasagna grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. If baking the lasagna right away Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spoon a little of the red sauce over the bottom of the dish. Grab 1 ball of pasta dough and flatten the dough. Lightly dust the dough with flour, brushing off excess. Set a pasta machine to the widest setting; run the dough through. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, then run it through again, short end first. Run it through 2 more times, dusting with flour if it seems too sticky. Now switch to the 2nd setting and roll all the dough sheets through the machine again. Switch to the 3rd setting and roll the sheets through again. Switch to the 4th setting and roll the sheets through again. Now switch to the 5th setting and roll the sheet through the machine one last time. All machines vary, but I find I like the 5th setting for lasagna sheets. Generally, when you see your hand through the pasta sheet, it's thin enough to cut.
  • Cut the sheet of dough to fit inside your dish. I can normally get 2 long and wide noodles + enough extra dough on the ends to fully make one layer of pasta cover the bottom of the pan. If this is not the case just form the extra dough into a ball and roll it out again. Fit into the pan where it is needed.
  • Now spoon about 1/2 of the remaining red sauce over the noodles. Drizzle about 1/3 of the Béchamel on top of that.
  • Grab another dough ball of pasta and roll it out just as you did above. Layer the pasta over the Béchamel. Now add the remaining red sauce and another 1/3 of the Béchamel. Roll out another ball of dough and layer the pasta. Add the remaining 1 cup of provolone cheese and the mozzarella cheese. Roll out the last ball of dough and layer it over the cheese layer. Pour the remaining Béchamel over the noodles and then sprinkle with a little shredded provolone and mozzarella.
  • Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the the lasagna. At this point the lasagna can be placed in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.
  • Bake, covered for 1 hour and then uncovered for 15 minutes more. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing. If your lasagna was cold bake, covered for 15-30 minutes longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 1767kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 251mg | Sodium: 1115mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2145IU | Vitamin C: 31.8mg | Calcium: 741mg | Iron: 5.4mg