Delish Thursday: World’s Best Lasagna For Valentine’s Day

Love, ah, love!

This is the month of Valentines, the month of Love.

Dr. Seuss once said, “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

To that I say, AMEN!

I have been lucky to be married to the man of my dreams for 40 years and he has made my realties better than any dream I could dream! I love Valentine’s Day because it is all about celebrating our love and romance!

And call me silly, but when I think about a romantic, candlelit dinner, I think of Italian food! What food could be more romantic than manicotti, lasagna, tortellini, parmigiana, or spaghetti?

After all, one of the sweetest, romantic meals portrayed in any movie is the famous spaghetti scene in “Lady and the Tramp”. Am I not right?

So, with this mind, here is our favorite lasagna recipe. Show your love by making it for your Valentine!

Amare!! (“Enjoy” in Italian.)

World’s Best Lasagna
SERVES 6

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tbsp each: oregano, basil, rosemary (or 3 tbsp of an Italian seasoning)
1/2 yellow onion chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped, divided
9 lasagna noodles cooked al dente
2 cans of your favorite marinara sauce (roughly 48 oz)
1 16 oz container ricotta
1/2 jar pesto
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan shredded
4-5 cups mozzarella shredded

Instructions:
1 . About an hour before cooking, spread ricotta on a plate and place paper towels over it to soak up some of the moisture.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions.
4. In a skillet crumble and cook ground beef, onion, herbs, and 2 diced garlic cloves. After ground beef is cooked through, drain grease and stir in marinara sauce and simmer until you are ready to assemble lasagna.
5. In a bowl mix ricotta, egg, pesto, 2 diced garlic cloves, and parmesan cheese.
6. In a 9x13 pan, spread a thin layer of sauce.
7. Lay out the first layer of noodles and cover with meat sauce.
8. Add a generous layer of mozzarella cheese.
9. Add another layer of noodles.
10. Gently spread the ricotta blend over the noodles.
11. Sprinkle with more mozzarella.
12. Lay out one more layer of noodles.
13. Add the rest of the sauce on top BUT don't put the last cheese layer on yet!
14. Cover the pan with foil and cut a few vents. Bake for 30 minutes.
15. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the pan from the oven and take off the foil.
16. Now put on that last layer of mozzarella cheese! Sprinkle a little garlic salt and parmesan on top for extra flavor.
17. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Delish Corner is a KDXU weekly feature written by local St. George culinary expert Laura Squires. Laura doesn't have a restaurant or bakery, but if you've ever tasted her food, you know that she is one of the best food artists in the world! Laura has been a resident of Southern Utah for  more than 30 years.