Cheese Ravioli Lasagna In A Tomato Basil Meat Sauce
Check out my new twist on a classic!
Equipment
- 1 baking dish 9 x 13
- 2 saucepots 6-quart
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 colander
- 1 rimmed baking sheet pan
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 Microplane
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 2 pounds ground sirloin (93% lean)
- 1 large onion Diced
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar Lightly-packed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves Finely chopped
- 2 24-ounce jars Rao's Marinara Sauce Tomato basil variety
- 2 tbsps kosher salt
- 2 tsps black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1/2 cuo chicken stock Unsalted
- 2 1-pound 6-ounce packages frozen mini cheese ravioli Par-cooked
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves Finley chopped
- 3/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for the top)
- 2 8-ounce packages Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-grated
Instructions
- In a large saucepot over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add diced onions, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and light brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, 2-3 minutes. Next, add the chicken stock, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes, reducing the liquid by half.Reduce the heat to low, and add both jars of tomato basil sauce. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Turn the heat off, add the finely chopped fresh basil leaves, and stir.In another saucepot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the ground sirloin, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the ground meat, stirring frequently. Add fresh thyme and continue to cook until the sirloin is no longer pink and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer the cooked sirloin, using a slotted spoon, to the container containing the tomato sauce.While the sauce is simmering, have a large pot of salted boiling water ready. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the ravioli from sticking. Let it cook just under the required time on the package, about 5 minutes. They'll continue their cooking during the baking process. Drain the ravioli. Rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process, then drain well.Preheat oven to 350°F.Start by ladling around 1 1/2 cups of the tomato basil sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Next, arrange the mini ravioli in the dish, covering the sauce. Then add the 1 package of shredded Mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, covering all the ravioli. Sprinkle with half of the finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley. Top with another layer of the tomato basil sauce. Repeat this process one more time. You want the shredded Mozzarella and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to end up on top. Finally, sprinkle the remaining finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley over the cheese.Spray the underside (dull side) of the foil with non-stick cooking spray and cover the dish tightly. This will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil. Place the baking dish on top of a sheet pan. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.Let the baking dish rest for at least 15 minutes to set before cutting. Serve with fresh basil leaves.Transfer the whole covered dish into the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. I recommend no more than two days. If the lasagna has been previously refrigerated, the baking time will vary (may take 45-50 minutes or until golden and bubbly).There you have it, my Cheese Ravioli Lasagna In A Tomato Basil Meat Sauce.
Notes
1) What's great about this recipe is that you can prepare everything in advance. All you need to do is prepare the sauce and the cheese ravioli. Layer all the ingredients into the baking dish. Allow the dish to come to room temperature before serving. Spray off the dull side of the foil with non-stick cooking spray before tightly wrapping the baking dish. That will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil in the baking process.
2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.