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The Great White North Homemade Lasagna with Chef Bari and Harry

Video Description

In this episode of Great White North Cooking, Chef Bari is joined by his good friend Harry to whip up a classic comfort food: The Great White North Homemade Lasagna. This isn’t your average lasagna; it’s a hearty, flavorful dish perfect for feeding a family or a hungry Sasquatch! Learn the secrets to Chef Bari’s legendary meat sauce and how to layer everything just right for a perfect, cheesy finish.

Full Recipe: The Great White North Homemade Lasagna

This recipe starts with a rich, slow-cooked meat sauce, which is the key to incredible flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef

• 1 head of fresh garlic, minced

• 1 large red bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 large tomatoes, diced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

• 1 large jar (approx. 24 oz / 680 g) of your favorite tomato sauce

• 1 box of oven-ready lasagna noodles

• 1 container (approx. 15 oz / 425 g) of ricotta or cottage cheese

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 bag of mozzarella cheese, shredded

• Fresh spinach leaves (a few handfuls)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Meat Sauce: In a large pot or pan, cook the ground beef until it’s well-cooked and no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Add the minced garlic and stir for a minute.

2. Add the diced red peppers, onions, and tomatoes to the meat and stir to combine. Cook until the vegetables soften.

3. Add the salt, pepper, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate the spices evenly.

4. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the sauce cook for at least one hour, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent sticking. For a deeper flavor, you can let it simmer for up to two hours.

5. Prepare the Cheese Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta or cottage cheese with the beaten eggs and a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix until smooth.

6. Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a large, oven-safe casserole dish.

7. Spread a layer of your prepared meat sauce on the bottom of the dish.

8. Place a layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles over the sauce. Make sure the box says “oven-ready.”

9. Add another layer of meat sauce over the noodles, then spread a generous layer of the cheese mixture on top.

10. Sprinkle with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese and a handful of fresh spinach leaves.

11. Repeat the layering process: noodles, meat sauce, cheese mixture, mozzarella, and spinach.

12. For the final layer, add the last of your noodles, cover with the remaining meat sauce, and top with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese.

13. Bake: Bake for 1 to 2 hours, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. An internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is ideal.

14. Rest and Serve: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before cutting into portions. This allows the layers to set and makes serving much easier.

Cheers !

Chef Bari

If you loved this recipe, you’ll find more of my authentic Canadian dishes in my cookbook, “Canadian Recipes of the Great White North.”