Description
Lasagna Pie is a delicious baked pasta dish featuring a rich meat sauce, layered with mafaldine pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese, all cooked to perfection in a cast iron pan and baked to a golden finish. This comforting Italian-inspired recipe serves 8 slices and combines hearty flavors with creamy textures for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 pound ground pork
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 basil leaves chopped
Lasagna Pie
- 1 pound mafaldine pasta or broken lasagna noodles
- 4 cups meat sauce from above
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon coarse cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 cup ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella divided
- 3 tablespoons chopped basil
- 3 tablespoons minced flat leaf Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: Heat a large pot or deep pan over medium heat and add olive oil and diced onion. Sauté until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add ground chuck and ground pork, increase heat to medium-high, and brown the meat. Remove excess fat with a spoon. Once meat is cooked through, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add crushed hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol smell dissipates. Add the hand-crushed plum tomatoes and stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add chopped basil and stir in.
- Cook the Pasta: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 tablespoons salt per gallon). Cook the mafaldine pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain well.
- Mix the Filling: In a large bowl, beat eggs, ricotta, grated Pecorino Romano, cracked black pepper, chopped basil, and minced parsley together. Add 4 cups of the prepared meat sauce, stir once more. Add the drained pasta and 2 cups of shredded mozzarella to the bowl and mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Prepare the Pan: Heat a 12-inch oven-proof cast iron or similar pan on medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, spreading it to coat the pan evenly.
- Assemble and Bake: Add the pasta mixture into the hot pan and cook without stirring for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the top. Transfer the pan to the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the pie is set.
- Broil for Browning: For a browner top, move the pan to the upper rack and broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna pie rest for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cut into 8 slices and serve with extra meat sauce and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Enjoy your flavorful Lasagna Pie!
Notes
- Mafaldine pasta can be substituted with broken lasagna noodles if needed.
- The bake time should be just until the pie sets, approximately 15 minutes including broiling for browning if desired.
- Leftover meat sauce is perfect for topping the lasagna slices or serving as a dip for bread.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a pan or oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
