Heather says:
The sauce is made from scratch and provides enough for a very large pan of lasagna or you can freeze the leftover to serve over spaghetti in the future.
Sauce:
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 2 6.5oz can tomato sauce (or just use one 15oz one, it’s not critically important)
- 2 TBSP white sugar (cuts the acid a little)
- 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Italian seasning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 4 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
In a large pot over medium heat stir together beef, sausage, onion, garlic, and fennel. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion is soft. Drain off the grease. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. (If you use a crockpot this sauce may be assembled in the morning and allowed to cook on low all day.) I like to use my immersion blender to mix the sauce as I don’t enjoy large chunks of meat in my lasagna, your preference may vary.
Ricotta filling:
- 16oz ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 lb pkg frozen spinach, drained completely, squeeze the life out of it!
Mix all ingredients well.
Other ingredients:
- 1 lb mozzarella – grated
- 1 generous cup grated parmesan (use a parmesan romano mix if you’d like)
- boiled lasagna noodles (the number depends on the size of your pan, use your judgement)
To assemble:
Line a large pan with foil. No, it’s not the most frugal tip ever, but sometimes my time is worth a few pennies.
Preheat the oven 375F.
Spoon just enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a single layer of noodles, spread with 1/2 the ricotta mixture, sprinkle with 1/3 the mozzarella and parmesan. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
**optional tip** add a layer of thinly sliced zucchini, mushrooms, and summer squash.
Cover tightly, but do NOT let the foil touch the cheese or you’ll yank off all the yummy goodness when it is removed.
Bake for 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. If the cheese isn’t nicely browned, broil just long enough to add some color.
**Warning, all the cheese makes this dish nuclear hot, allow it to cool some before serving.**
i agree, cottage cheese in lasagna is a sin. that said, i am SO coming to your house for dinner tonight. (your inlaws HAVE to be better than mine lol)
i do it no boil too but thats cuz i have to use gluten free noodles (also a sin) and they dissolve if ou boil em first.
Here’s a tip: you DON’T have to boil the lasagna noodles.
They soak up liquid from the sauce while the dish cooks. Makes it much tastier and much easier too.
I’m not making this up. It’s the only way I make lasagna and it always turns out delicious.
Gladys, I’ve heard that tip before, but I’m not sure I would test it with this sauce, it’s quite thick and meaty. I could see it working with a more vegetable/thinner sauce though.
Of course if someone is willing to test it out for me, I’d love to hear the results. 😉
I just clicked on the comments to ask if I had a boil the noodles first! Funny how things work sometimes huh? My lasagna is good, it’s just really watery at the bottom of the pan. I was complaining to my friends 15 year old half-Italian son and he told me not to boil the noodles first. But…agh…can you REALLY trust a 15 year old??? I’m glad that NOW I know for sure! Next lasagna will NOT be watery upon penalty of DEATH! (Yea, I kinda feel a little strongly about my lasagna…)
mmmm lasagna. My favorite!