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Christmas Eve Lasagna
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Christmas Eve Lasagna
Kate Itrich-Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams
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My family has been eating some kind of lasagna on Christmas Eve every year since I can remember. While I've occasionally made a legit lasagne Bolognese, the family favorite is Italian-American-style, made with sausage-spiked Marcella Hazan tomato sauce, ricotta-spinach filling, and lots of fresh mozzarella. Because I'm usually feeding at least 10 people on Christmas Eve, I always make the lasagna in a roasting pan. There are always leftovers, but they're delicious for days, especially when you're sick of eating cookies. Like any lasagna, you can make this one in stages. The sauce can be made up to three days ahead and the assembled lasagna can sit in the fridge up to overnight before cooking. You can easily make the lasagna vegetarian by omitting the sausage and gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta. I've also made a separate side dairy-free "lasagna" by layering the sauce, noodles, and spinach in a loaf pan and baking it alongside the big one.
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You Need

Serves 10 to 15
3:00

  • Sausage Tomato Sauce

    • 4 (28-ounce cans) whole San Marzano tomatoes
    • 2 yellow onions, halved and peeled
    • 2 sticks unsalted butter
    • Kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 pounds Italian sausage (mild, hot, or a mix), either bulk or removed from its casings

  • Spinach-Ricotta Filling

    • 1 pound frozen chopped spinach
    • 4 (15-ounce tubs) high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese, such as Calabro
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 4 large eggs, beaten

  • Lasagna

    • 2 pounds dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil)
    • 4 (8-ounce rounds) fresh mozzarella cheese
    • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

    • How To

      For the Sausage-Tomato Sauce

      1. Add the tomatoes to a large (7-quart) Dutch oven or similar-sized heavy pot. Use an immersion blender (or a potato masher for a more chunky texture) to puree the tomatoes. Add the onion and butter.
      2. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook at a decent simmer (you want consistent bubbles but you don't want it to splatter all over the counter) until slightly thickened and deeply flavorful, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat.
      3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spatula, until cooked through and browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
      4. When the sauce is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to the sauce, leaving any excess fat behind. Season the sauce to taste with salt.

      For the Spinach-Ricotta Filling

      1. Thaw the frozen spinach using your preferred method. I like to microwave it in 1-minute bursts, stirring after each burst, until completely thawed. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large bowl.
      2. Add the ricotta, cream, and Parmesan to the spinach and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the eggs.

      For the Lasagna

      1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle.
      2. Bring a large pot or kettle of water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, place the dry noodles in a large roasting pan and spread in as even a layer as possible. Pour the boiling water over the noodles to cover the noodles completely. Let soak until the water has cooled.
      3. Meanwhile, slice the mozzarella into rounds about 1/2-inch thick. Place between layers of clean kitchen towels or paper towels to drain.
      4. Once the soaking water has cooled, remove the pasta and place between layers of clean kitchen towels or paper towels to drain. If there are any stubborn noodles that are still stuck together, add more boiling water and jostle the noodles to get them unstuck. Rinse out the roasting pan and dry thoroughly.
      5. Ladle enough sauce to coat the bottom of the roasting pan, then top with a layer of noodles. (Keep in mind that because the noodles aren't fully cooked, they'll expand during cooking; leave some space between the noodles to allow for this expansion.) Spread ricotta filling over the noodles, then top with mozzarella. Ladle sauce over the top. Repeat the layering to fill the roasting pan, ending with sauce.
      6. Dollop any remaining ricotta mixture and mozzarella over the sauce, then top with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
      7. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered until bubbly and browned, at least 1 hour. (If you've assembled the lasagna head of time and refrigerated it, add another hour to the roasting time.) Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.