Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Martin Breslin at Harvard University.
Harvard's Marinara Sauce:
15 ounces finely diced onions
4 ½ pounds canned stewed plum tomatoes
1 1/4 ounces chopped fresh oregano
2 1/2 ounces chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/3 pounds ground beef chuck
1 pound diced white mushrooms
8 ounces finely dice onions
3 3/4 ounces diced carrots
3 3/4 ounces diced celery
1/2 ounces roasted garlic
2 ounces chopped fresh parsley
1 1/4 ounces chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
40 Barilla Whole Grain Wavy Lasagne strips
10 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Make the marinara sauce:
- In a large pot, sweat the onions in 5 oz olive oil for 5 mins without color.
- In a food processor, working in batches, puree the plum tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, parsley, and the rest of the olive oil.
- Add purees to the onions and simmer for 1 hour on low heat. Add salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.
Make the filling:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the beef until lightly browned. Drain off the fat.
- Add the mushrooms, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir until the onions are soft.
- Add the garlic and stir it in.
- Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
- Stir in 9 cups of the marinara sauce and let the mixture cool. Refrigerate until needed.
Make the lasagne:
- Parcook the Barilla pasta for the time indicated on the package (about 8 minutes). Drainpasta and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent from sticking. Place pasta flat on sheet trays or hotel pans and cool in a blast chiller. Alternatively, cool it down in a walk-in cooler. Store in zip lock bags or sealed plastic container; refrigerate and use within several hours.
- Spray a deep hotel pan with canola oil.
- Place one layer of parcooked lasagna noodles in the pan.
- Spread the noodles with about 3 cups sauce. Repeat layering the noodles and sauce, ending with a layer of noodles.
- Scatter the cheese on top.
- Cover with foil that has been sprayed with oil and bake at 350°F until bubbling, browned on top, and hot through.
- Cut the pan into 24 servings. Serve immediately or reheat servings to order in a hot oven. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with additional warm marinara sauce.