Luca’s meat lasagna easy recipe – Franca’s style

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Sir Loin,

I have been looking all over for tomato paste in the tube, where did you find it??

Strangely enough, I can find it at one of the Von's (Safeway) within a mile of my house, but not at the other Von's that's within a mile in the other direction. I've also purchased it at Cost Plus World Market if you have one of those nearby.

 

[Pierogi Princess]

At least where I shop, paste in a tube is much more expensive than canned paste. The cost of convenience.

I seldom use an entire can of paste so I spoon the remainder in tablespoonfuls onto a plate and freeze them. Then I pop them into a freezer bag for future use.

DANG ANDY M. YOU BLOW ME AWAY, I assumed the tub would be pretty expensive, but could never find it to see how bad the price was. But, freezing it by the table spoonful - DUGH, I never thought of that. What a great idea - again!!! I usually put it in a plastic container in the frig until it grows mold and then throw it away. I have some in there right now that is only a week old, off to the freezer with it.

Thank once again for your expertise.

 

[Pierogi Princess]

Strangely enough, I can find it at one of the Von's (Safeway) within a mile of my house, but not at the other Von's that's within a mile in the other direction. I've also purchased it at Cost Plus World Market if you have one of those nearby.

Thank you Sir...

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Luca 2 miles from where I live is a village with a large population of Italians. They arrived in the 20s to work in the brick factory.
A good school friends family 50 yrs ago fed me lasagne for the first time, she then showed my Mum how to make it. The method and recipe is very similar to yours.
My friends father was Welsh his Mum was Italian.The usual Sunday lunch then was Roast beef so monday dinner in our house would be Shep/Pie using the minced leftover beef in Franco's it would be Lasagne. His Mum would make the ragu using the minced leftover beef.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Luca 2 miles from where I live is a village with a large population of Italians. They arrived in the 20s to work in the brick factory.
A good school friends family 50 yrs ago fed me lasagne for the first time, she then showed my Mum how to make it. The method and recipe is very similar to yours.
My friends father was Welsh his Mum was Italian.The usual Sunday lunch then was Roast beef so monday dinner in our house would be Shep/Pie using the minced leftover beef in Franco's it would be Lasagne. His Mum would make the ragu using the minced leftover beef.

Bolas, I think there are more Italians outside of Italy than here in the homeland!
This is indeed a very "family" recipe, and maybe an old style one, but I like it very much, because it uses a few ingredients (I HATE recipes with a list of ingredients that looks like those checklist to fly a space shuttle...) but it's very tasty, in my humble and greedy opinion.
And let me know if there's some good rugby player with an Italian name around there, we can make a good use of them in our national team...

Ciao, Luca

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Australia has a very large Italian population, which is why I can't understand why their wines really suck!

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Australia has a very large Italian population, which is why I can't understand why their wines really suck!

And I wonder: can they make a good lasagna?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

And I wonder: can they make a good lasagna?

I don't know if they can or not, but if they don't, and you flush it down the garbage disposal, it goes around in the opposite direction!

 

[Luca Lazzari]

I don't know if they can or not, but if they don't, and you flush it down the garbage disposal, it goes around in the opposite direction!

A new recipe: the Down Under Espresso Lasagna!

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Australia has a very large Italian population, which is why I can't understand why their wines really suck!

I liked Aussie women and their beer. Their current cricket team is nearly as bad as the Italian Rugby team

 

[Luca Lazzari]

I liked Aussie women and their beer. Their current cricket team is nearly as bad as the Italian Rugby team

 

[CWS4322]

A friend of mine was from northern Italy. He used to put green peas in his lasagna. It was very good and he would use several cheeses, including homemade ricotta...the only time I've had lasagne with peas in it was when Mario made it...he also made amazing plum dumplings...FWIW, I freeze leftover tomato paste in ice cube trays. I have a tray that holds 2 T so each cube is 2 T. Once they are frozen, I pop them in a ziplock bag. I also do that with leftover wine (I know, who ever has leftover wine?).

 

[Luca Lazzari]

A friend of mine was from northern Italy. He used to put green peas in his lasagna. It was very good and he would use several cheeses, including homemade ricotta...the only time I've had lasagne with peas in it was when Mario made it...he also made amazing plum dumplings...FWIW, I freeze leftover tomato paste in ice cube trays. I have a tray that holds 2 T so each cube is 2 T. Once they are frozen, I pop them in a ziplock bag. I also do that with leftover wine (I know, who ever has leftover wine?).

Hi CWS4322, I never tried it with green peas, but I'm trying to prepare a lasagna recipe without meat and I'll consider green peas, too, even if they look too sweet for me. And I'll also try other cheeses, just to add some taste to the poor meatless recipe! Maybe some gorgeous gorgonzola...

And, yes, the idea of "leftover wine" is simply unconceivable!

 

[CWS4322]

Luca--I think one of the cheeses he'd use was provolone. Another might have been asaigo.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Luca--I think one of the cheeses he'd use was provolone. Another might have been asaigo.

Thanks, I'll try some magic mixture!

 

[CWS4322]

If you want to make a meatless version, my favorite combination is eggplant and spinach or swiss chard, or eggplant, zuchhini and swiss chard. You can use a layer of the eggplant to substitute for a layer of the pasta.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I vote for spinach lasagna. I love spinach lasagna. I also use eggplant slices to totally replace the macaroni sheets in either meat or vegetable lasagna. Everyone loves it.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

If you want to make a meatless version, my favorite combination is eggplant and spinach or swiss chard, or eggplant, zuchhini and swiss chard. You can use a layer of the eggplant to substitute for a layer of the pasta.

I vote for spinach lasagna. I love spinach lasagna. I also use eggplant slices to totally replace the macaroni sheets in either meat or vegetable lasagna. Everyone loves it.

Ok, now I have different choices for the cheese and good suggestions for the vegetable.
But I will never, NEVER, replace any of my pasta layer!!!

Thanks everybody!

 

[Pierogi Princess]

A friend of mine was from northern Italy. He used to put green peas in his lasagna. It was very good and he would use several cheeses, including homemade ricotta...the only time I've had lasagne with peas in it was when Mario made it...he also made amazing plum dumplings...FWIW, I freeze leftover tomato paste in ice cube trays. I have a tray that holds 2 T so each cube is 2 T. Once they are frozen, I pop them in a ziplock bag. I also do that with leftover wine (I know, who ever has leftover wine?).

Another great idea, designated ice cube tray.

Left over wine your say... never heard of it

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I like to roast thin sliced zucchini (length-wise) with olive oil, drain and use as a layer. Same if I use eggplant.