Ingredients
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 large egg
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (1 carton)
- 4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (not fresh)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Method
- Begin by dicing the onion and chopping garlic. In a dutch oven brown the meat and onion until brown. Add garlic and cook 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste, water, sugar, parsley, basil 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While sauce is simmering, cook the lasagna noodles per the package direction and drain.
- Combine ricotta cheese, egg and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. If not using pre grated mozzarella, grate your cheese and set aside.
- In an ungreased 9" x 13" casserole dish, spread 2 cups of sauce over the bottom. Lay 4 noodles, slightly overlapping on top of the sauce. Place 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly with either a spatula or a spoon. Add 1 cup of mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of parmesan*.
- Starting with the sauce, do two more layers of sauce, noodles, and cheese.
- Finish with the rest of the sauce and cover with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover the casserole with foil and place in a preheated 375F oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Allow the lasagna to rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Your patience will be rewarded.
Good to Know
Grating your parmesan in a small food processor makes quick work of this somewhat cumbersome task.
This is modified from the Taste of Home Lasagna found here