Lasagna-Different recipes

Originally lasagna is a Northern Italian dish, a favorite that has travelled with Italian immigrants and adapted to many different tastes. Rather than give seperate recipes for lasagna, it seemed easier to put them all together under one heading that will probably be frequently updated.
The recipes are given with store bought dried lasagna which doesn't need to be pre-cooked.

TIPs: Make the lasagna ahead of time, up to the night before. Therefore the pasta has time to absorb the liquids & will cook quicker & taste better.
Always cover with tin foil until the lasagna is nearly cooked (i.e. if the cooking time is 20 minutes, keep covered 15 minutes) to avoid it getting too dry.
If the lasagna is too liquid, then either remove the foil earlier or prolong cooking time (it's nearly impossible to overcook lasagna!).

Most pasta is sold in 1lb packages: usually half a package is enough, but adapt the number of sheets to the oven dish.

Select a deep square or rectangular oven dish.

Can be frozen once cooked.

Classic lasagna
Follow instructions for meat sauce or ragù.
Follow instructions for white sauce or bechamel recipe.

1/2 package of lasagna (preferably egg pasta)
4 oz grated parmesan cheese
1 mozzarella (optional)

Preheat oven to a medium temperature (check cooking instructions on lasagna package).
Pour a ladle of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish.
Line the dish with the sheets of pasta, avoid overlapping.
Sprinkle on cheeses.
Pour half a ladle of bechamel.
Repeat until dish is filled.
Cover with foil.
See cooking instructions which vary from 20-40 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.



VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
For 10 years I was a strict vegetarian (no meat/fish products). The following are recipes for vegetable lasagna.
TIP: with the exception of Pesto Lasagna, to make the recipe lighter I substitute bechamel with 8 oz liquid heavy cream.

Pesto lasagna
In summer, when I find aromatic fresh basil, I make my own pesto. However this never lasts into winter, when store bought is on the menu! Pesto lasagna was quite the rage in Italy a few years ago & is still popular. A great "last minute" recipe as it's simple & quick!

Follow instructions for white sauce or bechamel recipe.

1/2 package of lasagna (preferably egg pasta)
1 jar of pesto or about 8 oz fresh pesto
4 oz grated parmesan cheese
1 mozzarella (optional)

Prepare bechamel.
Add pesto.
Follow instructions for classic lasagna, alternating layers of lasagna sheets & filling.
Cook like classic lasagna.

Zucchini lasagna
Follow instructions for white sauce or bechamel recipe or use liquid heavy cream.

1/2 package of lasagna (preferably egg pasta)
3 medium zucchini
1 medium onion
18 oz tomato sauce
4 oz grated parmesan cheese
1 mozzarella (optional)

Slice zucchini & onion thinly.
Sauté in oilve oil until golden.
Prepare bechamel.
Follow instructions for classic lasagna, alternating layers of lasagna sheets, tomato, zucchini filling, cheeses & cream.
Cook like classic lasagna.