Recipe: Killer Microwave Lasagna

Killer Microwave Lasagna
Newsgroup posting by Daniel L. Stock (1983)

This recipe is based on one in the cookbook that came with my Amana microwave oven, but has been considerably modified after many uses to suit my tastes. It is quite cheesy, and hence rich enough to deserve the name. This will feed 10 wimps, 8 normal hungry people, or the starting five for the Boston Celtics. It reheats well in the microwave.

This recipe takes me (a fairly slow cook) about an hour and a half from start to finish.

1 pound lean ground beef
at least 1 clove garlic (the more, the better), minced
1 medium-to-large onion, chopped

1 cup water
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
at least one teaspoon oregano
at least 1/2 teaspoon basil (more preferred)
other spices as you see fit

1/2 pound (about 9 noodles, 2.5 by 9 inches) lasagna noodles, cooked (Cook according to package instructions, unless they ask you to boil them more than 6 minutes. Noodles should be "al dente")

1 pound (or a bit more) Mozzarella cheese, shredded (lotsa, lotsa Mozzarella)
1 pound ricotta cheese

at least 4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

PROCEDURE:

1) Combine meat, garlic, and onion in a two-quart casserole. Cook, uncovered, at full power until meat is no longer pink -- about four minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking. Drain well. While this is cooking, start noodles cooking or start grating cheese.

2) Add water, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and spices to meat mixture. (Always crush basil leaflets between fingers when you add them to anything.) Cook, covered, at full power for ten minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.

3) Mix ricotta and Mozzarella cheese in a bowl. This produces a wonderful ball of tasty gloop. Snitch some.

4) Get out a 2-quart utility dish (8 by 12 by 2 inches or so). Layer in meat sauce, cheese, and noodles as follows:

1/4 of meat sauce
1/3 of noodles
1/3 of cheese
another 1/4 of meat sauce
another 1/3 of noodles
another 1/3 of cheese
yet another 1/4 of meat sauce
final 1/3 of noodles
final 1/3 of cheese
final 1/4 of meat sauce

It is important to begin and end with meat sauce so that the noodles do not dry out when cooking. NOTE: the dish will be very full.

5) Sprinkle lots of Parmesan cheese over the top. Admire your artwork. Snitch any extra Parmesan cheese.

6) Cover with thick plastic wrap. Pierce a few holes in the plastic wrap with a fork (or cover with parchment or waxed paper). Cook on full power for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool a couple minutes before serving.