Classic Lasagna Recipe

Classic Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:

– **For the Meat Sauce:**
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 large onion, finely chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 pound ground beef
– 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
– 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
– 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
– 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
– 1/2 cup water
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
– 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
– 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
– 1 tablespoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

– **For the Ricotta Mixture:**
– 16 ounces ricotta cheese
– 1 large egg
– 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– **For Assembly:**
– 12 lasagna noodles
– 1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
– 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. **Prepare the Meat Sauce:**
– In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
– Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot. Cook until the meat is browned and fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
– Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Mix in sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley.
– Bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. **Prepare the Ricotta Mixture:**
– In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and salt. Mix until well combined.

3. **Cook the Noodles:**
– Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

4. **Assemble the Lasagna:**
– Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
– Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
– Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with a layer of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon another layer of meat sauce over the cheese and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
– Repeat the layers two more times, ending with a final layer of meat sauce and Parmesan cheese.

5. **Bake:**
– Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil (to prevent sticking, you can spray the foil with cooking spray beforehand).
– Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbly.
– Let the lasagna cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your delicious homemade lasagna!