Lasagna al Forno

Nothing is more of a crowd-pleaser than a big dish of baked lasagna -- at any age and any time of year! Mixing the meat and cheese sauces may sound odd, but it makes the sauce taste richer.

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce

Directions

1. Heat the oil in large, deep frying pan and cook the vegetables gently until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and ketchup. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Brown the beef in the pan, then add the tomato mixture, beef stock, sugar, and oregano. Simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Make the cheese sauce by mixing the cornstarch in a saucepan with a little of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until thick, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone. Season to taste with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Lightly oil a large rectangular baking dish (about 11 x 7 inches). Mix half of the cheese sauce into the meat sauce. Spread 2 tbsp of the remaining cheese sauce over the bottom of the dish, then put on a layer of three lasagna sheets. Spoon half of the meat mixture over this, then add another layer of pasta. Spoon the remaining meat mixture on the pasta and top with a finale layer of pasta. Cover with the remaining cheese sauce and scatter the grated cheeses over the surface.

5. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the lasagna until golden brown on top and cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Test by inserting a knife down through the center; you should feel no resistance. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

   Recipe Tip: The un-baked lasagna can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. It can be frozen wrapped well in foil; when needed, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. To bake a chilled or thawed lasagna, pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 40 minutes, then increase the oven to 400 F and bake until golden brown on top and piping hot, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.