San Giorgio Lasagna Recipe
San Giorgio Lasagna is a classic Italian dish known for its rich layers of savory meat sauce, creamy cheese mixture, and perfectly cooked noodles. This recipe provides step-by-step instructions to create a hearty, delicious lasagna that will impress your family and friends.
Equipment
- Large skillet or saucepan
- Medium bowl
- Large pot
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Aluminum foil
- Cooking spray
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
- 2 (6.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Cheese Mixture:
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Lasagna Assembly:
- 12 San Giorgio lasagna noodles
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
- Additional grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
Preparing the Meat Sauce:
- In a large skillet or saucepan, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is browned and the onion is tender.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
- Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
- Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Preparing the Cheese Mixture:
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
- Mix until well blended.
Cooking the Lasagna Noodles:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Cook the San Giorgio lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Assembling the Lasagna:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Place 6 noodles over the sauce.
- Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Top with a third of the mozzarella cheese slices.
- Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Baking the Lasagna:
- Cover with foil to prevent sticking (spray foil with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese).
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
This lasagna can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Simply assemble, cover, and freeze before baking. When ready to serve, bake from frozen, adding extra time as needed. Adjust the recipe to accommodate dietary needs, such as using gluten-free noodles or low-fat cheese.