This delicious and comforting Italian-style recipe is inspired by a traditional Greek dish. Mixing the best of both cultures, it combines warm spices, layers of tender pasta, tomato sauce, beef and lamb on the base, and plenty of cheesy white sauce on top. For a bit of PNW flare, we added chanterelle mushrooms and Oregon white wine.
Serves: 8
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Ingredients
- 3 T olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3/4 lb each ground beef and ground lamb
- 8 oz. sautéed chanterelle mushrooms (or sub other mushrooms)
- ¾ c dry white wine
- 32 oz Rao’s marinara sauce
- ¼ c parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1-1/2 t each cinnamon, salt and black pepper
- ¾ t ground allspice
- 1 lb dry Barilla lasagna sheets (or sub fresh)
- 1/3 c butter, melted
- 4 eggs, beaten, divided
- 1-1/2 c grated Parmesan
- 2 c labneh
- 1 c cream
Steps
- In a large sauce pan, sauté onion in olive oil 3 min. Add lamb and beef, cook 3 min.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until softened, 2 min.
- Add wine, parsley, marinara and seasonings; simmer 5 min. Adjust seasoning, set aside.
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss all at once with butter.
- Gently mix in 2 beaten eggs and 1 cup Parmesan; set aside.
- Combine labneh, 2 eggs and cream; reserve.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F; prepare a 9”x13” casserole with olive oil/cooking spray.
- Spoon a thin layer of lamb sauce on the bottom, adding an even layer of pasta pressing lightly.
- Spoon ¼ of meat mixture on top and spread evenly, repeating until meat sauce is done. (Keep layers thin for best results).
- Top next to last layer of pasta with half of cream/labneh mixture and sprinkle with ¼ c Parmesan; repeat and finish top layer with labneh mixture.
- Bake covered for 45 min. until 165F in center. Remove cover and bake just until top dries slightly, 3 min.
- Let rest 20 min. before garnishing with parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Cut into squares for serving.
