Old School Lasagna And A 1971 Chevelle SS

Ya got me! I got nothin' to post on a 1971 Chevelle SS.
Other than an image in my head with me at the wheel, rockin' out to old school AC/DC, Van Halen, and the Bee Gees (shut up about the Bee Gees!)

Do you KNOW how much a '71 Chevelle SS goes for??!!
A girl can dream.

I have an Old School Lasagna recipe though.
Come join me, pull up a stool, grab yourself a beverage, let's chat...

All the fixin's for this delicious, low key lasagna.

This lasagna is delicious but low key.
The flavors of the fresh tomatoes really pop.
You can pair this lasagna with bolognese sauce if you wish.
I usually just pair it with sauteed peppers as a side dish and a hunka big ol' whole wheat garlic bread.
Also, I use whole wheat lasagna noodles, but I imagine the regular semolina noodles are delicious too.

Old School Lasagna
Adapted from Alex Guamaschelli - Food Network

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 pounds ripe or overripe red toamtoes, washed and chopped
3/4 cup lightly -packed fresh basil leaves, washed
8 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound lasagna sheets
1 pound shredded Mozzarella
1 pound shredded Parmesan

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Tomato Sauce:
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions and garlic.Season with salt and pepper, to taste. When it turns light brown, add the thyme, bay leaf and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, if desired. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves. Stir in the basil leaves and shut off the heat to allow the sauce to "rest."

HEY! No comments on the man-hand!

Pasta: Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Add the salt and the lasagna sheets Cook for 4 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water. The pasta should still be very firm to the touch. Separate the sheets carefully so they don't stick together.

Ahhh, I never tire of processing a car sale :)

Oh, oh, oh! Stop the presses!
Turn down the sauce!!!
A nice young couple who are getting married in a couple weeks are buying a Grand Prix GT and I process paperwork with them. Gosh, they were cuter than cute, real nice folks.

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Okay, paperwork completed, now back to the cooking....
Assemble the lasagna:
Spoon a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Arrange a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce. Sprinkle some of the Mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta and another thin layer of sauce. Repeat the layering process 2 more times. It is important there be remaining cheese and sauce for the top. When you finish, there should be 4 layers of pasta and 5 layers of filling.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and put it in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees F and remove the aluminum foil. Bake until the top browns slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes or so before serving.

Peppers were on sale, yay!!
I didn't have to sell a prized painting either to afford them.
I love it when I don't have to pay 10 gazillion dollars for one red pepper.
So as a side with this dish, I usually make sauteed peppers in olive oil with salt and pepper.
Easy, healthy and a nice complement to the lasagna.

Angie's Note: The finished lasagna actually looks better than the pictures show......and it truly is mellow and delicious!