Beef Lasagna with Spinach and Ricotta

Ingredients

• Tomato and beef sauce

  500 g 90% lean ground beef

  raw weight; do not drain the cooked fat for the stated calculation

• 20 g olive oil

  all used in the sauce

• 150 g yellow onion

  peeled weight, finely chopped

• 12 g garlic

  peeled weight, finely chopped

• 800 g no-salt-added canned tomatoes

  including all juice; crush by hand before adding

• 30 g no-salt-added tomato paste

  plain concentrated tomato paste

• 100 g water

  for the sauce

• 2 g dried oregano

  about 2 teaspoons dried leaves

• 4 g fine table salt

  weighed, for sauce

• ½ g ground black pepper

  for sauce

• Pasta and spinach ricotta

  250 g regular dried lasagna sheets

  dry weight; enriched wheat pasta that requires boiling, not oven-ready sheets

• 300 g fresh spinach

  washed and trimmed raw weight; wilt, squeeze dry and chop before mixing

• 350 g part-skim ricotta

  plain; drain visible free liquid before weighing

• 15 g Parmesan cheese

  finely grated, for filling

• 1 g fine table salt

  weighed, for filling

• ½ g ground black pepper

  for filling

• Cheese topping and finish

  200 g low-moisture part-skim mozzarella

  grated from a block, all for the top

• 15 g Parmesan cheese

  finely grated, for the top

• 10 g fresh basil leaves

  washed, dried and torn, added after baking

Directions

1. Build a thick tomato and beef sauce

   Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Soften the onion for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles. Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the beef reaches 160°F (71°C) as checked in several places with a food thermometer. Keep all rendered fat in the sauce. Stir in tomato paste, then crushed canned tomatoes with all juice, 100 g water, oregano, 4 g salt and 0.5 g pepper. Simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring often, until thick but spoonable. Reduce further if watery. If it sticks, lower the heat and add a small measured splash of water; this can extend simmering time.

2. Cook the pasta and prepare spinach ricotta

   While the sauce simmers, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) conventional or 350°F (180°C) fan. Boil the regular dried lasagna sheets in unsalted water according to the package, stopping when flexible and just tender. Drain and lay them flat on clean trays without extra oil. Wilt the washed spinach in a wide skillet with only the water clinging to its leaves, about 2–3 minutes. Let it cool enough to handle, squeeze firmly in a clean cloth, then finely chop. Mix with the weighed ricotta, 15 g Parmesan, 1 g salt and 0.5 g pepper. Divide both cooked pasta and ricotta mixture into three approximately equal portions. Keep raw-meat tools away from these components.

3. Assemble three pasta layers

   Spread about 150 g meat sauce over the base of the deep 9 x 13 inch dish; no extra oil is needed. Divide the remaining meat sauce into three equal portions. Lay one-third of the cooked pasta over the base, cutting pieces to fit with minimal overlap and no large gaps. Spread one-third of spinach ricotta over it, then one-third of the remaining meat sauce. Repeat this pasta–ricotta–meat-sauce sequence twice more, using all components. There are three pasta layers, with meat sauce on top. Scatter all 200 g mozzarella and the remaining 15 g Parmesan over the surface. Tent foil above the cheese and seal around the rim without pressing it into the topping.

4. Bake, rest and cut eight portions

   Bake on the middle rack, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove the foil carefully and continue baking for about 15–20 minutes, until the top is golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Check the centre and several other spots with a food thermometer: the casserole must reach 165°F (74°C) throughout. Add time if needed; loosely cover again if the cheese browns before the centre is hot enough. Rest for 15 minutes, then scatter with all 10 g basil. Cut into two rows of four for eight portions. Use a wide spatula to lift each portion and divide any sauce left in the dish evenly.