Spiced Lamb Lasagna
If you appreciate spiciness and aren’t afraid to play around, feel free to substitute the red pepper flakes for an equally hot counterpart, such as harissa, hot sauce, or chipotle powder. Or skip it altogether if you’re feeding a crowd that prefers their lasagna on the mild side.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ 28- ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
- cheese grated and divided
- ¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese divided
Instructions
- ►Combine ground lamb, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven set over medium heat until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce appears to be drying out, add up to ½ cup water.
- ►Once lamb sauce is nearing completion, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook according to package directions. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.
- ►Combine ricotta, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
- ►Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread roughly 1½ cups of lamb sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles, overlapping slightly, lengthwise over meat sauce. Cover with ½ cup ricotta mixture and top with grated mozzarella. Spoon 1 cup lamb sauce over mozzarella, then sprinkle with a layer of Parmiganio Reggiano. Repeat layers, switching the direction of the noodles from lengthwise to widthwise with each layer. Top the final layer of noodles with meat sauce and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella. Cover dish tightly with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 additional minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.
