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Aunt Angie's Lasagna Recipe

Aunt Angie's Lasagna is a hearty, classic dish featuring a rich, slow-simmered meat sauce and a unique baked meatball mix broken into crumbles. Layers of tender lasagna pasta are generously filled with creamy ricotta, melted mozzarella, and sharp Romano cheese, then baked to a golden, bubbly perfection.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 people

Equipment

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For preparing the meatball mix.
  • 1 Sheet Pan For baking the meatball mix.
  • 1 Large Stock Pot For simmering the meat sauce.
  • 1 Food Processor For chopping vegetables efficiently.
  • 1 Large Baking Dish A 1/2 hotel pan or equivalent for lasagna assembly.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 5 pounds ground beef
  • 5 eggs beaten
  • 4 cups bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
  • 1/2 pound grated Romano cheese
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup each carrots celery and onion, roughly chopped in food processor
  • 1 gallon ground pear tomatoes
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon fennel seed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
  • 1 pound cooked lasagna pasta about 10 pieces
  • 4 pounds meatball mix
  • 2 pounds ricotta cheese
  • 2 pounds mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup Romano cheese
  • 32 ounces meat sauce

Instructions
 

  • For the Meatball Mix: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Roll meatballs into desired size and bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. For the lasagna, instead of rolling into desired size, spread mix out evenly on a sheet pan and bake. Break up the meat for lasagna.
  • For the Meat Sauce: In a stock pot (or large cooking vessel) brown the ground beef. Add the celery/carrot/onion mix and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the seasonings. Let simmer for 2 hours.
  • For Aunt Angie's Lasagna: Using a 1/2 hotel pan or medium to large baking dish, coat the bottom with a thin layer of meat sauce. Lay out 4 pieces of lasagna so they go up the side of the pan with an additional 3 to 4 inches hanging over the edge. Do the same in the other direction of the pan using pieces of pasta. Add another layer of meat sauce, followed by 1/2 of the meatball mix. Then top the meat with 1 pound of the ricotta cheese, 1 pound of mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of Romano. Add a layer of pasta and repeat to have 2 layers. Fold over the remaining pasta to cover the top. Top with meat sauce and place in preheated oven and bake until proper serving temperature is reached or top is golden brown.

Notes

For the meatball mix, baking it spread out on a sheet pan creates more browned surface area, enhancing the savory depth in the lasagna. Ensure the ground beef for the sauce is well-browned before adding vegetables to build a robust flavor base. The long simmer time for the sauce is crucial for melding flavors. When assembling, ensure the pasta hanging over the edges creates a neat, sealed top, preventing cheese from overflowing. Achieving a golden-brown top is key for presentation and texture. Consider using quality cheeses for optimal melt and flavor.