Mama Fresina’s Lasagna

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Phyllis Fresina, affectionately referred to as “Mama,” and her husband Buster created the finest pasta in Baton Rouge, LA in the early 1990s. At their store, Phyllis, Buster and their sons used an antique pasta maker to produce wonderful, fresh pastas. Fresina family has since then retired and passed torch onto another well-known Baton Rouge Family, D’Agostino’s Italian Specialties. This delectable family recipe is from the kitchen of Mama Fresina.

Prep Time: 1½ Hours

Yields: 6–8 Servings

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

1 (8-ounce) package lasagna

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups diced onions

¼ cup minced garlic

1 tsp chopped oregano

2 tsps chopped parsley

2 tsps chopped sweet basil

½ tsp garlic salt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup Ricotta cheese

2 cups frozen spinach, drained

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In lightly-salted water, boil lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking together. Set aside. In a cast iron Dutch oven, brown ground meat over medium-high heat. Chop with a cooking spoon and cook beef 20–30 minutes or until it browns and grains separate. Add onions and garlic. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Drain excess fat. Season with oregano, parsley, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Blend in tomato sauce and paste, then bring to a low simmer. Add mushrooms and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings if necessary. Fold in cottage cheese, Ricotta and spinach. Once blended, place a layer of sauce in the bottom of 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Add a layer of noodles then top with sauce and ¼ cup shredded Mozzarella. Repeat 3 times, leaving approximately ½ inch at the top of dish for overflow. Sprinkle evenly with Mozzarella. Bake uncovered 30 minutes.

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