Instructions

Step 1: The Parsley.

My suggestion is to wash and chop the parsley at home and before leaving for camp. Store the chopped parsley in a container lined with a paper towel to keep the leaves from getting “soggy.”

Step 2: Create the Ricotta Cheese Filling.

Mix together these ingredients:

1. 25oz of Pasta Sauce
2. 14-15oz Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes (Optional)
3. 32oz Ricotta Cheese
4. 2 Eggs
5. 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
6. 1 tsp Salt
7. ½-1 Cup of Finely Chopped Parsley
8. 12 ounces of Beer

Creating this all-in-one sauce will be the easiest way to create both the cheese layer and the pasta sauce layer…they’ll be an all-in-one layer. I used to separate the two (cheese sauce and the pasta sauce) but it added a bit of complexity to the stacking process and (AND) no one could tell the difference in the final dish after I started mixing it all together.

It’s much (MUCH) easier to have only three things to stack:

1. This Ricotta Cheese Sauce
2. The Meat Mixture
3. And the No-Boil Pasta

This will end up giving us about 80-90 ounces of our prepared cheese filling. Keep this amount in mind. That’s about 10-11 Cups of sauce.

Keep the cheese sauce covered and at the ready

Step 3: Shred the cheese and prepare 2-3 cups.

We likely will only need two cups…but trust me on this…you ain’t strong enough nor is anyone there at camp with you strong enough to avoid a bit of cheese snacking as you prepare this dish. Just shred a bit more and you’ll be fine if all three cups finds their way into that pot.

Step 4: Prepare the fire for the cast iron Dutch oven.

We’ll need to bake this at 350°F or 175°C. But first, we’ll need some “real” heat to brown the sausage and the beef. Put about 30-40 briquettes to fire. We’ll likely not use all of these at first. As they burn down during the time we need to brown the meat, we may have to add some extras to make up for the burned down we’ll have left.

Step 5: Brown the Sausage.

The sausage will have plenty of fat. It’s okay to coat the bottom of my Dutch oven with a bit of oil to get it started. Preferably, I want to first sear and caramelize my sausage before breaking it up and browning the entire pound. I’m going to do this with my beef as well in a bit. And, I’m going to use some of the oil rendered from that sausage to get that beef started.

Brown the sausage until it’s cooked and then lay it over into another container lined with a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. I use a stand-by 10-inch Dutch oven to both keep the meat warm and keep the flies at bay.

Step 6: Brown the beef.

After you remove the sausage from the pot add the beef to the hot pot. Sear and caramelize both sides before breaking up the meat and browning the pound. Then, remove the beef and add it to the pot with the sausage.

Chef Tip: The video has a nifty way I blend the meats in a large patty-like shape and then brown the meat. You’ll have to check that out – it’s easier to show you than to explain it here.

Step 7: Remove the pot from the heat and start stacking the lasagna.

First, let’s inventory what we have:

1. Ground Beef and Sausage Mixture
2. 10-11 cups of the Ricotta Cheese Sauce Filling
3. 20 Noodles: We’ll need 5 noodles per layer.
4. About 2 cups of Shredded Cheese and some left-over Chopped Parsley

Word on the noodles:

In the video I am using 365 Whole Foods Market No-Boil Lasagne Noodles. A 16oz box of these 6.5 inch x 3.5 inch / 17 cm x 9 cm (rough measurement) has about 25 noodles. We’ll use 20 in our recipe.

I’ve had better luck with the Tuscanini brand Oven-Ready Flat Lasagna. A 17.6 ounce / 50 gram box of these 6.5 inch x 3.5 inch / 17 cm x 9 cm (rough measurement) has about 29-30 noodles.

We’ll only use 5 per layer and break those in half (I’ll tell you why in a bit). The pasta is pretty thin but very tough when dry.

There are five layers to this recipe. Layers two, three, and four are the same with layer one slightly different (I’ll explain). The fifth layer is our “left over layer.” I’ll explain that in a bit.

I don’t want the first layer to be pasta. Those noodles will likely stick without something between them and the hot cast iron.

Also, the rectangular pasta shapes will drive you nuts if you try to work them in there like that. Break them in half and use the broken squares to create a fan-like circle around the Dutch Oven. Use two halves to cover the center opening (you’ll see what I’m talking about).

Don’t break them like a stick on your knee. Use the edge of the Dutch oven lid for a better break. There will be pieces and shards that will remain. Just toss them into the pot in any of the layers and let them cook.

Putting this dish together seems cumbersome. And, it’ll look “messy” as you layer it out. Don’t worry. The cooking process of this meal will bring it together and…the cheese topping…it covers all “sins.”

Layer 1

Add two cups of cheese sauce to the bottom of the Dutch oven. This will keep the first layer of pasta from sticking to the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Then top with 10 pasta halves. The broke side will likely be rounded. Use that side against the wall of the Dutch oven (the video explains it better).

The next three layers are exactly the same. Sauce. Meat. Pasta.

Layer 2

Add two cups of sauce.

Add a third of the meat mixture

Then top with 10 pasta halves

Layer 3

Two more cups of cheese sauce

A third more meat mixture

And then 10 pasta halves

Layer 4

Again with 2 cups of cheese sauce

The last of the meat mixture

And the last 10 pasta halves

Layer 5

Now, pour over all the remaining cheese sauce for the last layer.

We’ll top this all with shredded cheese later. But not right now.

Step 8: Return the lid to the Dutch Oven and Set to bake at 350°F or 175°C

Place 16 briquettes on the top of the Dutch oven and 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven. Let it bake for 15 minutes.

Step 9: Turn the Dutch oven.

After the first 15-minutes, turn the Dutch oven. Turn the lid of the Dutch oven 1/3^rd of a turn in one direction and then the whole pot 1/3^rd of a turn in the other direction. Let it bake for another 15 minutes.

Step 10: Add the Shredded Cheese.

After 30 minutes total bake time, pull the Dutch oven from the fire. Remove the lid and set it aside somewhere secure.

Add the 2 cups of cheese to the top of your lasagna.

If you need more briquettes, now is a good time to add more to the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Return the lid to the pot and return to the fire. Add enough new hot briquettes to total 16 fresh briquettes to the top and 8 to the bottom.

Let the lasagna bake for another 15 minutes.

Step 11: Check the Temperature and for Doneness

You do not have to check the temperature. This recipe is palate ready at about 165°F / 75°C. It’s been cooking for 45 minutes, and everything is already cooked and safe to eat. However, I find that the palate isn’t ready for this meal until it’s warmed to 165°F / 75°C.

The other reason I check the temperature is to see if there is any resistance when I stick the probe in the food. If I “feel” the thermometer probe (or knife / fork) goes through the pasta easily, this “tells” me the recipe is done.

If you need to bake it longer, then bake it at 10 more minutes at a time and turn the pot each time.

Step 12: Remove from the heat, Garnish with Parsley, and EAT!

Once the cheese is all toasted and the meal is ready, remove the heat from the pot and garnish with some remaining chopped parsley. Serve with some sour cream and enjoy!