Super and Quick were never in my cooking vocabulary. Basting, slow roasting, braising… these are the words that conjured up a home cooked meal and why so many of us grab take out. Painstaking. Until now! The Instant Pot has changed my life in the few short weeks I have had the pleasure to own it. It’s bringing back the fun of cooking, the nutrition I’ve been desiring and the kudos that I always love to hear. What’s not to love?
Lasagna are wide, flat pasta, and possibly one of the oldest types of pasta.”Lasagne”, or the singular “lasagna”, commonly refers to a dish made with several layers of lasagna sheets alternated with sauces and other ingredients, such as meats and cheese.
Use Your Noodle
Honestly, I’ve written Lasagna with both and “a” and an “e” at the end (thank you for clearing this up Wikipedia) but really it just spells DELICIOUS to me! It’s like a casserole but more distinguished. All those layers seem so time consuming. Well, not in this Super Quick recipe. Nope, you just snap those little pasta suckers into 2″ pieces and pop them into the pot!
Out pops the best thing that’s happened in your kitchen in a long time. I know. It’s like I’m there. Look, I just know you don’t have time. It’s a busy world and it keeps getting busier so give this little recipe a try. Use some, all or none of my options, I won’t get mad… even though I’m there – peering over your shoulder….
Need more encouragement? Here’s a lovely shot of Italy. The canals in Venice to be exact. Now do you want to slave over a stove or do you want to have time to float down the Grand Canals? At our place we have to substitute an above ground pool and blow up rafts for the canals but we’re nothing without imagination so imagine yourself behind a plate of this gooey goodness and grab the recipe!
Quasi meglio di lasagne
If Italy doesn’t sell you perhaps a quick video of myself and Gigi whipping up this cheesy recipe!
All the deliciousness of lasagna without the fuss!
- 1/2 pound ground beef I use 1 pound
- 1/2 pound ground sausage I use 1 pound
- 1 16oz package of lasagna noodles break into 2" pieces
- 1 32oz jar pasta sauce or homemade
- 4 cups water I used 3 cups and 1 cup red wine
- 8 oz ricotta cheese I used cottage cheese
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve 1/2 if baking under broiler) ummm, ya shredded not "peeled" Lol!
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp italian seasoning I buy mine in bulk
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper &/or red pepper flakes
- Lots of grated parmesan cheese
- Substitute leave out 1 cup of water and add 1 cup of red wine
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Select Saute and adjust to Normal. Add ground beef and sausage to the pot and cook until browned. When cooking is complete press Cancel. Break pasta into 2" pieces and put in pot along with pasta sauce and the water/wine mixture. Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure release valve.
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Select Manual and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. When cooking is complete, use a quick release to depressurize.
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Stir in the ricotta or cottage cheese and half the mozzarella (the mixture will look curdled from the ricotta or cottage cheese but it's perfectly ok).
Optional:
Pour the mixture into a baking pan and top with the rest of the mozzarella (I would use parmesan as well). Place the baking pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. If you're not doing this just dump all the cheeses into the Instant Pot and stir.
What’s your favorite Italian food?
**edited 10/18 to include Pinterest graphic. Feel free to share!
Sounds delicious ( and I love your tweaks)! My fave Italian food is, hands down, PIZZA! It’s my Kryptonite. 😉
Oh yes Cindy! Right after Mexican food is pizza for me. In fact, my favorite pizza (besides pepperoni) is Mexican pizza! Seasoned ground beef,onions, jalapenos, black olives, cheddar cheese and I make a sour cream/taco seasoning drizzle for the top. Rats! Now I’m hungry…