Spicy Grilled 6-Cheese Lasagna (W / Lotsa Pics)

[jcam222]

Man looks great as usual!! I’ll bet that sauce is good for a lot of things!!

 

[tx smoker]

That would be great Robert. Be way easier than searching for it. Plus others might want it also. We are not real spicy people, I like it more spicy than my wife, but I can tone it down a little if need be.

This one was not quite as spicy as it typically is. I didn't have any of my spicy Italian sausage so had to use the sweet Italian but left the spice ratios the same. Here ya go Ryan:

1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 9.1 oz. tub crushed tomatoes
1 ½ T fresh minced garlic
1 T minced onion
1 t oregano
½ t basil
½ t black pepper
½ t ground coffee
½ t sugar
½ t salt
½ t crushed red pepper
¼ t cayenne

If using it as a marinara for pizzas or sandwiches, put it all in a blender and mix it up. If it's going to be a pasta sauce, just leave it as is and add whatever meat you'd like.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Damn... Just Damn... Dammit man, that looks so good.

We love a good lasagna here too, but don't do them too often due to time, effort and cost

Thanks Chile!! Very much appreciate the kind words. Most of the stuff is pretty cheap but you can certainly rack up some $$ with all the cheese. Being that I make all the sausage, that makes things much more affordable.

Spent all day yesterday making Italian sausage as a matter of fact....but that'll be in a different post.

Robert

 

[jcam222]

This one was not quite as spicy as it typically is. I didn't have any of my spicy Italian sausage so had to use the sweet Italian but left the spice ratios the same. Here ya go Ryan:

1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 9.1 oz. tub crushed tomatoes
1 ½ T fresh minced garlic
1 T minced onion
1 t oregano
½ t basil
½ t black pepper
½ t ground coffee
½ t sugar
½ t salt
½ t crushed red pepper
¼ t cayenne

If using it as a marinara for pizzas or sandwiches, put it all in a blender and mix it up. If it's going to be a pasta sauce, just leave it as is and add whatever meat you'd like.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

A Fancy addition I make,instead of sliced Italian Sausage is, I make a big batch of Meatball mix, 4 to 5 pounds, and bake it in Loaf Pans. It gets chilled overnight then sliced, lengthwise into 1/4" slabs. The meatball slabs are then arranged in the Lasagna layers to give a hearty portion of flavorfull Meat in every bite. A little more work but so worth

Thank you Jimmy!! Means a lot coming from you. Insofar as the above quote: I......LOVE......THIS......IDEA!!

Guess what I'll be making very soon. These could probably be made in advance, layered on wax paper, and frozen until time to use. Regardless, next time I'm in the mood for Italian I'm gonna plan a day ahead of time and make this happen. Be on the lookout for a post in the not too distant future

Robert

 

[jcam222]

This one was not quite as spicy as it typically is. I didn't have any of my spicy Italian sausage so had to use the sweet Italian but left the spice ratios the same. Here ya go Ryan:

1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 9.1 oz. tub crushed tomatoes
1 ½ T fresh minced garlic
1 T minced onion
1 t oregano
½ t basil
½ t black pepper
½ t ground coffee
½ t sugar
½ t salt
½ t crushed red pepper
¼ t cayenne

If using it as a marinara for pizzas or sandwiches, put it all in a blender and mix it up. If it's going to be a pasta sauce, just leave it as is and add whatever meat you'd like.

Robert

I believe I’m going to give that sauce a try to just cook a batch of Italian sausage links in. The coffee is a cool add. Do you use fine like espresso grind?

 

[disco]

FDA Warning: If you're lactose intolerant, you may want to stop here

You folks are gonna be the death of me!! I can't think of a better way to go though Since really embracing this forum and starting to participate more actively it's gotten to the point that I'm just not satisfied with basic food any more. Every attempted meal must be epic in one way or another. The inspiration I've gotten from the good folks here just keep pushing me to continue turning out better and better food. This is a perfect example of that. I've made lasagna for years but nothing like this one!!

Started with a pound of my homemade Italian sausage
View attachment 411729

Brown the sausage and drain the grease
View attachment 411730

Add the components of the sauce and all the spices
View attachment 411731

Sauce all mixed up and starting to get happy
View attachment 411732

Mix up some garlic butter for the bread
View attachment 411733

Made a nice Italian style salad using my spicy pepper vinegar and EVOO as dressing and sprinkled with mixed Italian herbs
View attachment 411734

Time to start building the lasagna. A small amount of sauce on the bottom so the noodles don't stick
View attachment 411735

First layer of noodles and cottage cheese. Ricotta works well also but Tracy prefers cottage cheese
View attachment 411736

More sauce and the other 5 cheeses
View attachment 411737

Repeat until pan is full or you run out of ingredients. I ran out of ingredients before the pan was full
View attachment 411738

Onto the grill
View attachment 411739

Coming along nicely
View attachment 411740

Time to get the garlic bread going. This was cooked on the grill also but no pic
View attachment 411741

Lasagna and bread all done
View attachment 411742
View attachment 411743

Money shot. My dinner plated...well the first of a couple plates
View attachment 411744

Close up of the lasagna
View attachment 411745

I've always loved Italian food but since really getting into cooking and learning more about blending flavors, the quality of what I'm turning out has improved dramatically. This lasagna was absolutely fantastic and a flavor bomb. Deep, rich, complex, and a really nice little spice tingle. I put the sauce recipe together several years ago but dialed it in recently after what I'd learned here about creating flavors and layering them. I absolutely LOVE this spicy sauce and would probably enjoy it over a bowl of Cheerios!! The 6 different cheeses were cottage, mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano. These combined for a very rich creaminess when it all melted together. The lasagna did not stack as high as I'd have liked but I ran out of sauce. This thing probably weighed close to 6 pounds when all was said and done. Although not as thick as I would have liked, it was very dense and filling. I still managed to eat almost three pieces....and promptly fell over on the couch for a while Thanks for looking.

About my best lasagna ever,
Robert

Lovely lasagna! Big like!

Disco

 

[tx smoker]

I believe I’m going to give that sauce a try to just cook a batch of Italian sausage links in

I have done that. Done whole links, sliced lengthwise, and sliced. Also made some real good Italian meatballs and used this as a topping for a sammie

 

[tx smoker]

Oops....hit the wrong button

It's some pretty good stuff

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Do you use fine like espresso grind?

No but you certainly can. I just use the coffee that's in the bog canister by my coffee maker...and that depends on what Tracy feels like buying when she goes to the grocery store.

Sorry this took three responses. Still getting used to the new format and the icons are in different places.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Lovely lasagna! Big like!

Thank you Disco!! It tasted better than it looked though. Love how all the flavors in this come together.

Robert

 

[Brokenhandle]

Thanks for the recipe robert. Now I'm wishing I could grub hub one of those sandwiches to me. That looks amazing.
I will say, one good thing about joining after an upgrade is I'm learning things for the first time while most others are having to relearn how to do things.
Ryan

 

[tx smoker]

I will say, one good thing about joining after an upgrade is I'm learning things for the first time while most others are having to relearn how to do things.

That's a good point. Things just take a bit of getting used to though.

The meatballs I made for that sub were kind of off-the-cuff. I'd only made meatballs once or twice before and had no recipe for them so I just made it up as I went. They turned out fantastic!! I have that recipe also if you'd like it. I read a few on the 'Net but nothing even similar to what I threw together. Best meatballs I've ever had!!

Robart

 

[Brokenhandle]

Would love that recipe. Always ready to try new ones. My wife does most of the cooking since I'm always busy and she loves cooking...poor me! I'm pretty good at quality control (taste testing) but I need to be careful not to lose my job, our son is a close 2nd.
A few years ago I wanted some goulosh but I wanted it thick so I could eat it with a fork, mil always made it with alot of juice, good but not what I wanted. So just as your meatballs I just made it up as I went. My wife nicknamed it slump (said it reminded her of what they fed the dogs on the movie snow dogs). I didn't care what she called it, it turned out perfect and she even liked it...life was good!

 

[tx smoker]

My wife nicknamed it slump (said it reminded her of what they fed the dogs on the movie snow dogs).

Neat story. In my world, "slump" is how much a 1' x 1' x 1' amount of fresh concrete spreads when the forms are removed. It's a gauge to see what the compressive strength of the concrete should be when cured. Thin concrete does not have as much strength as heavy concrete. Damn...here it is Sunday and I'm talking work. Time for me to shut up.

Here ya go:
½ lb. Italian sausage (I used spicy)
1 egg
2 T breadcrumbs
½ T minced garlic
½ T grated Parmesan cheese
½ T milk
½ T minced onion
½ t Italian seasoning
¼ t crushed red pepper
¼ t black pepper
1/8 t salt

Here are the meatballs going into the pan to cook

About done

Put into the sauce

Let simmer for a while and pile high on your sub roll

This was truly a fantastic meatball sub!! You saw the rest of the pics above...but now they are all out of order. Oh well, you get the idea

Enjoy!!
Robert

 

[Brokenhandle]

Thanks Robert. And like so many others have said...I just ate but now I'm hungry again!
Ryan

 

[smokerjim]

great looking meal Robert, you've been putting out some great looking stuff.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Great looking lasagna Robert! I could down a plate or two of that! How long did it take on the grill...did you run 375 or so?

 

[chef jimmyj]

My oldest Daughter is coming for a visit Thurs, Fri and Sat. Having a Sushi Party Thursday and Lasagna on Friday. I'm taking inspiration from this thread...JJ

 

[Bearcarver]

OMG, Robert--Another Great One!!----> Like !!
You & Chile just keep making me look bad.
You guys keep making all these elaborate meal displays, and all I can muster up is Prime Ribs, Hams, and an array of Sammies.
Awesome!!

Bear