Best Ever Red & White Sauce Lasagna

Submitted by Shamrockjulie

"This is the absolute best tasting lasagna I have ever had. The red sauce offers sweetness and the white sauce gives it a warm creaminess. I came up with this recipe for my sister who doesn't eat pork, but have made it many times with traditional pork Italian sausage. Either way its yummy, hearty and sure to impress."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 22
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles
• 8 ounces six cheese Italian cheese blend
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 large sweet Italian sausage links
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 1 egg
• 2 (24 ounce) jars of san marzano tomato passata
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 16 ounces san marzano crushed tomatoes
• 10 garlic cloves
• 2 cups red wine
• 3 tablespoons dry Italian herb seasoning
• 1 large onion
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• fresh nutmeg
• salt
• pepper

directions

1. Begin by making the red sauce as it needs time to simmer and reduce.
2. In large heavy bottom sauce pan over medium/ high heat Sauté in olive oil half the onion add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Once onion is slightly browned add in the 5 cloves of crushed garlic, Sauté for a couple minutes.
4. Add the entire can of tomato paste and sauté carefully & stir continuously (it burns easily) until cooked about 2-3 minutes.
5. Next Stir in The 2 jars of Passata and 1 can of crushed tomatoes, re- season with salt and pepper.
6. Add wine to thin sauce to a light chunk style sauce. Stirring Sauce occasionally as it will reduce and become thicker re-season with additional salt if any is required,Lower heat to simmer. Stir occasionally.
7. Stir in 1-3 tablespoons of Italian dry herb seasoning to taste.
8. Chop 10 basil leaves into strips reserving half for ricotta mixture and gently half into sauce.
9. In separate pan begin to sauté sausage.
10. Add a slight bit of olive oil, allow to heat then add sausages with casings removed Brown until cooked completely.
11. With a slotted spoon remove sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Reserving sausage drippings in pan.
12. Add remaining onion to sausage oil and sauté onion until slightly caramelized. Salt and Pepper.
13. Chop garlic and mince into a paste the remaining cloves and stir until cooked.
14. Combine the onion oil mixture into the tomato sauce. This will add a thickness to your sauce.
15. Simmer for at least 30 minutes
16. While Red Sauce is reducing in other heavy bottom pan begin to work on fillings and White Sauce.
17. Add butter & flour, Cook over low/med heat for about 3 minutes.
18. Add entire pint of cream.
19. Allow to slowly come to simmer.
20. Grate in 2 teaspoons of fresh nutmeg.
21. Add half of the milk reserve the remainder of milk Simmer for 5 minutes( DO NOT BOIL).
22. White Sauce should be able to coat the back of spoon if sauce is too thick like a paste or glue add remainder of milk slowly little by little until texture is more sauce like smooth slightly thick.
23. Remove from burner and let stand.
24. Prepare Ricotta Mixture:.
25. In a large glass or plastic bowl take reserved fresh basil and combine with 1 entire large jar of ricotta salt and pepper.
26. Mix well. Make sure mixture is properly seasoned and add 1 beaten egg.
27. Combine all ingredients well. Set aside.
28. Lasagna Assembly.
29. In large 11 by 15 GLASS baking dish, spray with original flavored Pam or any other non stick non flavored cooking spray.
30. Ladle 1 cup red sauce or enough to coat the bottom of the entire baking dish.
31. Arrange 1st layer of Noodles to cover bottom of pan.
32. Add layer of Ricotta mixture .
33. Cover with Mozzarella cheese.
34. Ladle red sauce until cheese mixture is covered.
35. Arrange 2nd noodle layer to cover.
36. Add a thin layer of Ricotta mixture.
37. Using a separate ladle than the red ladle in a layer of white sauce to cover the ricotta mixture.
38. Spoon the sausage onto the white sauce to cover.
39. Cover the sausage with the Italian blend cheese mix.
40. Arrange 3rd noodle layer to cover.
41. Add layer of Ricotta mixture .
42. Add a layer of Italian blend cheese.
43. Cover with red sauce .
44. Add final noodle layer.
45. Cover noodle with red sauce then a thick coating of Mozzarella cheese .
46. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
47. Allow Lasagna to stand at room temperature for at least 45 minutes to set up before cutting into it.