Crispy Lasagna Recipe (2024)

Ingredients To Make Crispy Lasagna

• ▢ 18 pieces Pasta Sheets Make Homemade, or buy at grocery store
• ▢ 24 oz Canola Oil / or Peanut Oil
• ▢ ½ cup Asiago Cheese Topping Cheese / Use what you enjoy, another option, Parmesan Cheese.

Bolognese & Ricotta Cheese Recipes Links

• ▢ 3 cups Texas Bolognese Sauce < Visit Recipe Link
• ▢ 16 oz Ricotta Cheese < Visit Recipe Link

Texas Bolognese Sauce

• ▢ 1 pound Ground Beef
• ▢ 1 cap Portobello Mushroom
• ▢ 12 caps Cremini Mushrooms
• ▢ 1 tablespoon High-Quality Butter
• ▢ 1 medium Vidalia Onion Mirepoix onion, carrot, celery
• ▢ 1 stalk Celery Mirepoix onion, carrot, celery
• ▢ 1 large Carrot Mirepoix onion, carrot, celery
• ▢ ½ cup Red Wine
• ▢ 5 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
• ▢ 1 can Tomatoes / I like using whole tomatoes and breaking them up myself

The Peppers

• ▢ 1 Jalapeno Pepper
• ▢ 1 Serrano Pepper
• ▢ 1 Dried Ancho Chile
• ▢ 1 Guajilo Pepper
• ▢ 3 tips Thai Chilies / cut in half lengthwise
• ▢ ½ Habanero Pepper / cut in half lengthwise - no rib or seed
• ▢ 1 Red Bell Pepper

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

• ▢ 8 cups Whole Milk Low-Fat milk will not work.
• ▢ 2 cups Heavy Cream Half & Half - substitute option
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons Lemon Juice Juice of 2 lemons
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh Homemade Pasta

• ▢ 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• ▢ 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ 4 extra large Eggs
• ▢ 1 whole Egg Yolk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Home To Make Crispy Lasagna

• Quick Method

  1) Making the Texas Bolognese sauce

  2) Buying the Fresh Pasta Sheets at the grocery store

  3) Buying fresh ricotta cheese

• Step #1 Shaping The Pasta

  Shaping the pasta into rectangles to fit the plate. Place a pasta sheet over a plate and measure the size you would like the pasta. Make a small indention, then move the pasta sheet to a cutting board to make all of the needed cuts to all pasta sheets.

  Store the pasta sheets once cut on a plate with a damp paper towel or dishcloth. This makes sure the pasta sheets do not dry out.

• Step #2 Frying The Pasta Sheets

  Prepare the frying oil. Using a large pot with a lid, fill the pot with oil. Use only enough oil to add one piece of pasta sheet at a time. About 3 inches of oil.

  Time to fry once the oil reaches 350 degrees. I suggest test frying a small piece to make sure the frying oil is just right. Not too hot, not too cold. You will want the test piece to be golden brown and crispy.

  Place one sheet into the hot oil using kitchen tongs, and hold/press the pasta sheet underneath the oil line, complete immersing.

  The oil will bubble up controllably. Once the bubbles calm down, I know that my pasta is done cooking and can be taken out of heat safely.

  I cook for an additional 30 seconds from this point for max crispiness!

• Building The Crispy Lasagna

  Use 3 pasta sheets per plate. Start with one piece in the center of the plate, then add some of the Texas Bolognese sauce on top. Add pieces of fresh ricotta cheese all around the pasta sheet.

  Build up 3 layers and finish with Asiago cheese. Another option would be Parmesan cheese.

  Links to both the ricotta and bolognese sauce recipes are listed in the main article above.

How To Make Texas Bolognese Sauce

• This sauce only gets better in the refrigerator, I like making the sauce a few days in advance.

Preparing The Mushrooms

• Rinse/wash the mushroom off under cold water. Do this quickly, as mushrooms will absorb some water. Using a spoon, clean off the spores from underneath the mushrooms. If not, you'll impart a more earthly flavor profile most will not enjoy. Almost a dirty flavor. Remove the spores.

  Next, chop the mushrooms into small sizes. We will be saluting them and need the mushrooms the same size for even cooking time and appearance. No big chunks.

  Option: If preparing the vegetarian version, leaving some large pieces might be a nice touch for additional texture. Be sure to double the number of mushrooms to use that amounts to what you like. I would suggest mixing in a few different types of mushrooms.

  Idea: Try using some dried mushrooms. Place them into warm water to soften. But sure to add some of the liquid to add a big flavor. I suggest tasting the dried mushroom liquid before adding it to ensure you think it will work with the recipe.

  Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat, then add the mushrooms. But only add half of them at this point. Add a small pinch of salt and dried thyme at this time. Cook until they have shrunk in size and caramelized, then add the second half and cook them alongside the cooked mushrooms. Ensuring the mushrooms get caramelized for maximum flavor. Otherwise, there would be too many mushrooms.

• Making Bolognese Sauce

• Set up your food processor close to a cutting board.

  Chop the onion, carrot, celery, jalapeno, serrano, guajillo, habanero, Thai chile, ancho, and bell pepper into a size that helps the food processor do its job. Do not add large chunks to a food processor or risk uneven blending.

  I used half of each pepper, which was great but not hot. If you watch the video, you can see how I cut the peppers, i.e., how much I used precisely. Add each ingredient one at a time to the food processor until everything is smooth/purred.

  Next, add the "base" to the cooked mushrooms and reduce the liquid. We want to cook off some of the liquid and tighten the sauce up a bit.

  Now add in the ground beef. Add salt and pepper and cook the beef through.

  Next, add a few tablespoons of tomato paste and stir it in. Then add in the red wine and cook off the alcohol. Lastly, I like to add something fresh. I like adding a whole tomato from the can. The canned tomatoes will be soft and have the right texture to add with ease.

  After a few minutes, the red wine has cooked into the bolognese sauce

  TSA: Taste - Season - Adjust. Does it need more tomato paste? Salt? Does the color look good? Add in more tomato paste for a deeper color. Cook until the flavor has come together. About 15 minutes on low. Longer if you like. Then, there you go, you have Texas Bolognese Sauce.

Making Homemade Ricotta Cheese

• Using a large pot, add the 8 cups of whole milk, plus the 2 cups of heavy cream. Plus the 2 teaspoons of salt.

• Heating The Milk

  Using a candy thermometer, SLOWLY bring the temperature up to 190 degrees. (about 10 minutes). Make sure the milk never gets to a boil. Be mindful of the bottom of the pot, and do not allow the milk to become scorched. Use a spatula to stir and scrape the bottom during the heating.

  The idea is to be gentle with the protein and fats in the milk. The slow heating process allows the fats and proteins to loosen up. Once an acid is applied to the lemon juice, the coagulation starts.

  Once 190 degrees is reached, stir in the 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir to combine. You'll start to see the milk begin to thicken quickly. This is the coagulation process happening.

• Coagulation Timing

  Cover the pot with the heat off and allow it to coagulate for 15+ minutes. A s the acid does the work. The curds and whey will begin to separate. Thick pockets of curds will begin to form.

  After 15 minutes, pour through cheesecloth. Drain off all of the whey (liquid) from the curds(cheese). Do not allow the curds (cheese) to sit in the whey (liquid) for any amount of time.

  Once the whey level starts to touch the bottom of the cheesecloth, drain off the whey. Continue until all whey is gone and only the curd is left.

• Storage

  Refrigerate, wrap in plastic wrap to set up. Before storage is your one chance to shape the ricotta. Fresh ricotta cheese will last one week, plus in the refrigerator. Over the days, the cheese will shrink a very small amount due to the frigid air in the refrigerator, causing dehydration.

• Pasta Tips: For homemade pasta, roll it thin for optimal crispiness. If using store-bought, choose fresh pasta sheets for better texture.
• Sauce Suggestions: For a richer Bolognese, consider simmering the sauce longer. Adding a touch of sugar can balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Cheese Choices: Experiment with different cheeses for the topping. Parmesan or Pecorino can offer a sharper flavor contrast.
• Oil Temperature: Ensure the oil is at the right temperature for frying. Too hot, and the pasta burns; too cool, and it absorbs too much oil.
• Serving Suggestion: Serve the lasagna hot, garnished with fresh herbs like basil or parsley for a burst of color and freshness.
• Storage: Leftover lasagna can be refrigerated and reheated, though it's best enjoyed fresh for maximum crispiness.