Until a few years ago, I had never even thought to attempt my own lasagna. I’d seen people make it before–the hassle of working with cooked noodles that inevitably tore in half and burned fingertips in the process. No…I’d leave that challenge for someone else to conquer.


But then, I became inspired. We went to Fredericksburg to celebrate a friend’s 30th birthday. After a day drinking wine at vineyards and our usual wine bar, we headed to the celebrant’s favorite Fredericksburg restaurant, Pasta Bella. The quaint little restaurant itself is enough to inspire one to begin making down-home versions of Italian food. What really inspired me though, was the lasagna A ordered.

We’d all thought about ordering it, but he was the only one who actually did. So, naturally, we each wanted a bite when it was served. A got the first taste, but then it went around the table for everyone to try. Ummm…did I mention there were 7 of us? Yeah. And, the lasagna was so good, we let A get one more bite before we stole his lasagna and passed it around the table again. Poor A. We didn’t really even realize what we’d done until his lasagna was all but gone. I mentioned we’d been drinking wine all day, right?

There was something about Pasta Bella’s lasagna that made it stand out. The flavors melded and mixed, without staying confined to their layers. The sauce was dynamic, but not too tomatoey. The cheese was fresh and didn’t lose its flavor in the dish. And, the lasagna was moist–I’ve had far too many dry lasagnas.


Upon returning home, I began my quest to make a great lasagna. I knew I’d probably not be able to replicate Pasta Bella’s, but I hoped to at least make a fantastic equivalent for those times we wish we were in Fredericksburg with friends–drinking wine all day, passing lasagna around a table, playing truth or dare in the hot tub, without reason to ‘get really angry’ at all.


And, there’s no juggling cooked lasagna noodles with this recipe!

Three Cheese Lasagna

I’ve pulled bits and pieces from recipes over the years, coming up with something that satisfies my palette. The ricotta mixture basically comes straight from an epicurious recipe. I sometimes add Italian sausage or zucchini to the sauce. I often add fresh spinach to the ricotta mixture. Here is the base, though…for you to modify as you wish.
Semi-Homemade Tomato Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T basil
2 T thyme
2 T oregano
1 large can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian style)
1 medium can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 T sugar
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add herbs. Mix into onions and immediately add cans of tomatoes. Stir for a few minutes, completely mixing. Add wine and sugar. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until you are ready to use.


Lasagna:
Tomato Sauce
lasagna noodles (quality really does make a difference here)
large ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
8-12 ounce container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 T basil
1 T oregano
1 1/2 cup parmesan
2 T milk
1 t pepper
Preparation:
Heat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, herbs, 1 cup parmesan, milk and pepper. Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with tomato sauce. Lay lasagna noodles on top. Spread tomato sauce on noodles. Spread ricotta mixture on sauce. Lay mozzarella slices over ricotta. Sprinkle parmesan cheese. Lay noodles on top. Repeat layering–sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, noodles. On top layer, spoon dollops of tomato sauce. Fill in empty spaces with dollops of ricotta mixture. Cook, covered with foil, for 50 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Time: 45 minutes prep, 90 minutes cook time
Menu: with a garden salad or green beans
Serves: 9 large servings (but be aware that everyone will want seconds)
Drink: Chianti, of course!


Eat Meat? When making the tomato sauce, cook Italian sausage before adding onions and garlic.


Definitely not a substitute for Fredericksburg with friends, but a nice reminder of good times.