Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe, the Gustiamo Way

Viral Lasagna Soup—the Gustiamo version—is a fabulous, cold-weather dish. It’s hearty and comforting, with a thick, rich broth that clings to the noodles. As they sit, the noodles soak up the soup, giving it a great, almost stew-like texture. It really is a meal in a bowl.

We’re not entirely sure how “viral” made its way into the name, but the recipe earns the attention. This one will definitely make a regular appearance in our rotation.

We started with a Caesar salad—crisp, simple, and a perfect lead-in to a very satisfying dinner.

Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe, the Gustiamo Way
 
Lasagna soup is everywhere. Creamy. Cozy. Internet-famous. So of course we tried it. What does Gustiamo think? Are you allowed to break lasagna sheets? Yes, if you use the right lasagna.
If you’re breaking lasagna sheets into broth, they need structure. Bronze-extruded, slow-dried Lasagna Faella holds its bite, grips the sauce, and stays al dente even the next day. This soup reheats beautifully. The flavor deepens. The texture stays perfect. Just make sure you stir well after adding the broken lasagna pieces. Really stir. These sheets love each other and will cling if you ignore them.
Most versions add cream. We add depth instead. Sicilian tomato concentrate and a Vacche Rosse cheese rind simmering in the broth create an umami base that makes cream completely unnecessary.
The result? Silky broth. Deep tomato flavor. Tender pork. Lasagna pieces with bite. A soup that reheats like a dream. The flavor deepens overnight and the pasta stays beautifully al dente thanks to that slow drying. 
 
INGREDIENTS
 
Onion, ½, finely chopped
Pork (ground or finely minced), ½ lb
Tomato concentrate, 2 tbsp
Homemade broth, 3 cups
100% Italian tomatoes, 1 can (400 g)
Lasagna Faella, 12 strands, broken into large pieces
Vacche Rosse cheese, 50 g, grated
Vacche Rosse rind, 1 piece
Extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
PREPARATION
 
1. In a heavy pot, sauté the onion in olive oil for 2–3 minutes, until soft.

2. Add the tomato concentrate and a spoonful of broth to loosen it. Let it cook briefly to deepen in flavor.

3. Add the pork and cook until browned and fully cooked through.

4. Add the canned tomatoes, crushing them directly in the pot with a wooden spoon.

5. Pour in the remaining broth, add a pinch of salt and the Vacche Rosse rind.

6. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes to let the flavors combine and intensify. The rind stays in. If you prefer a looser, soupier texture, add a spoonful or two of water or broth as it cooks.

7.  Add the broken lasagna pieces and stir immediately and thoroughly to prevent sticking.

8. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until perfectly al dente.*

9. Stir in grated Vacche Rosse cheese until melted.

10. Serve with more grated cheese and a drizzle of intense extra virgin olive oil.
 
If you plan to make it ahead and reheat later, cook pasta only 10 minutes, as it will continue cooking in the hot soup after you take it off the stove. Reheat gently for 1-2 minutes.

 

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta

Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta was a great dish on a cold night. We purchased the Sausage at Cookbook. I liked this dish (how couldn't I with Cheese, Pasta and Sausage)? Highly recommend it. We started with a Radicchio Salad.

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta

New York Times

 

Like a cross between baked ziti and sausage lasagna, this mozzarella-topped pasta is rich with ricotta and crushed tomatoes — and cooks entirely in one pan, including the pasta. The Italian sausage adds meaty depth to the sauce, but vegetarians can leave it out or use their favorite plant-based sausage instead.

 

Ingredients

 

3        tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¾       pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)

4        garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1        teaspoon dried oregano

½       teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (optional)

1        (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices

1        (14-ounce) can crushed or strained tomatoes

2        bay leaves

Kosher salt

12      ounces dried pasta, such as small shells, farfalle or other shaped pasta

8        ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

6        ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 3/4 cup)

⅓       cup grated Parmesan

¼       cup basil leaves

Black pepper, for serving

 

Preparation

 

1.   Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

2.   Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

3.   Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.

4.   Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you’d like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

 

Lentil Pasta

Sliced Tomatoes before cooking

Tomatoes after Cooking

We were made Lentil Pasta. We have made the Lentil Pasta many times. If you are reading this, you have seen it repeatedly described. I hope you have made it. It is wonderful. 

In the summer when tomatoes were at their best we made several batches of Oven Candied Summer Tomatoes from: The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. We then freeze the tomatoes for use in the winter when delicious tomatoes are hard to come by.

We Candied the Tomatoes before we used them. You can find the recipe on our blog of: July 22, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe. It is easy to candy Tomatoes and they can then be frozen for future use.

I read an article about a new shape for Pasta: Cascatelli. Of course I had to try it. It turns out you can only purchase 10 pounds at a time. I did. I am gifting it to friends, I have so much. The pasta actually is rather thick. More like a thick lasagna noodle texture. I can't say I can recommend it, hence the gift to friends. You can read about here: Sporkful.

We started with a Nectarine Salad with Speck. We liked the smokey taste of Speck better than Prosciutto.

Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

We made a new recipe: Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta. I really enjoyed this Lasagna like dish. Actually I like all baked pasta! This was a good one.

Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

Food and Wine

Ingredients

3        tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2        garlic cloves, smashed

1        pound hot or sweet Italian fennel sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can tomato puree

1-1/2   cups water

1-1/2   teaspoons sugar

1          bay leaf

¼         teaspoon ground fennel

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1          pound penne

3          cups Creamy Ricotta

½         pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

¼         cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

How To Make It

1.    Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, water, sugar, bay leaf and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, mash it to a paste and stir it back into the sauce; discard the bay leaf.

2.    Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked sausage to the pasta, then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce and toss to coat the penne.

3.    Spoon the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta and dollop large spoonfuls of the Creamy Ricotta on top. Gently fold some of the ricotta into the pasta; don't overmix—you should have pockets of ricotta. Scatter the mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the pasta for about 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead

The baked penne can be refrigerated, covered, overnight. Rewarm before serving.

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Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta

Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta is a new recipe for us from The New York Times. We like almost all pastas and this was a winner. Would like to make it again.

Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta

New York Times

Like a cross between baked ziti and sausage lasagna, this mozzarella-topped pasta is rich with ricotta and crushed tomatoes — and cooks entirely in one pan, including the pasta. The Italian sausage adds meaty depth to the sauce, but vegetarians can leave it out or use their favorite plant-based sausage instead.

Ingredients

3        tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¾       pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)

4        garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1        teaspoon dried oregano

½       teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (optional)

1        (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices

1        (14-ounce) can crushed or strained tomatoes

2        bay leaves

Kosher salt

12      ounces dried pasta, such as small shells, farfalle or other shaped pasta

8        ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

6        ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 3/4 cup)

⅓       cup grated Parmesan

¼       cup basil leaves

Black pepper, for serving

Preparation

1.   Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

2.   Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

3.   Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.

4.   Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you’d like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

Matzo Lasagna

The New York Times had a recipe for Matzo Lasagna. It sounded so strange and weird we had to make it for Passover. Surprisingly it was good. I thought that the Matzo which absorbed liquid during baking had the texture of eggplant. I think this will become a yearly tradition. Give it a try!

Matzo Lasagna

New York Times

In this browned baked dish, matzo crackers replace the usual pasta for a rich, ricotta-filled lasagna that’s Passover-friendly and relatively easy. In this version, the ricotta is flecked with basil, and the marinara sauce gently spiced with garlic and a touch of red-pepper flakes. Feel free to use the recipe as a template to create your own combinations — adding vegetables, other herbs and other cheeses as you like. The heady tomato sauce and bubbling, golden mozzarella on top can frame whatever other ingredients you’d like to add. You can assemble the matzo lasagna the day before you bake it (store it in the fridge); just add a few minutes onto the baking time. If you are using handmade shmurah matzo, soak the sheets for 5 minutes in water before layering them. Supermarket matzo, which is lighter and more airy, does not need to be soaked.

Ingredients

¼        cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

4         garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4         anchovies, finely chopped (optional)

½        teaspoon black pepper

¼        teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving

2         (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes

¾        teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed

1         rosemary sprig

2-¾    cups/24 ounces whole-milk ricotta, preferably fresh

1         large egg

¼        cup basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving

¾        teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼        teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1         (10-ounce) box matzo, preferably egg or salted matzo

1         pound fresh mozzarella, sliced, then torn into bite-size pieces

½        cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

1.   Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot over medium, heat oil, and stir in garlic, anchovies (if using), pepper and red-pepper flakes. Cook until garlic starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.   Use your hands to squeeze and crush the whole tomatoes as you add them to the pot, along with any liquid in the cans (or use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in the can). Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and rosemary sprig, bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer at medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

3.   Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, basil, pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg.

4.   To assemble the lasagna, spread generous 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13 baking dish. Place matzo crackers in an even layer on top, breaking crackers to fit as necessary.

5.   Spread half the ricotta mixture over the matzo layer, spreading all the way to the edges. Top with generous 3/4 cup tomato sauce, then scatter with 1/3 of the mozzarella.

6.   Repeat matzo, ricotta, tomato sauce, and mozzarella layers.

7.   Top with a final layer of matzo, then spread remaining tomato sauce (about 2 cups) on top, making sure all of the matzo is covered. Top with remaining mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

8.   Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve topped with more basil, a drizzle of olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.