Classic Lasagna

  • 1 pound ground beef 
  • ½ pound hot Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½-2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1-2 Tablespoons dried Italian seasonings
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
  • 3 T chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 12-16 lasagna noodles
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 16-ounce pkg mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1-cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat, cook ground beef and hot sausage until all the pan juices evaporate. Add the diced onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook one minute more. Your beef mixture should be well browned. This is important to the flavor of your lasagna. I like to drain my meat mixture in a colander placed over a paper towel lined pie plate.

Return the meat mixture to the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, bay leaf and the dried herbs, crushed between your palms. (Note: I don’t always add sugar. I taste the tomatoes to see how acidic they taste and add the sugar, if necessary.) Heat the sauce to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and make adjustments. Discard the bay leaf and remove from heat.

Prepare your lasagna noodles as the package directs. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch heavy pan. If using traditional lasagna noodles, arrange four noodles in the pan, overlapping to fit. For oven-ready noodles, use three. Combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, and chopped parsley.

Spoon 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, spreading thinly. I use either a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the layers. Top with 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese, a sprinkle of the Parmesan cheese and 1/4 of the sauce. Repeat two more times. Finish with a layer of noodles, sauce and then cheese.

Cover the prepared lasagna with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Let is cool on your counter and then either refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.

Bake the lasagna in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Remove from the oven and let stand at least 20 minutes before serving. Makes 8-12 dinner servings.

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