TheCabinetFactory.com/Blog

Classic Lasagna

• 1 pound sausage (sweet Italian)
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 28 ounces tomatoes (crushed)
• 12 ounces tomato puree
• 13 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons basil leaves (dried)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (diced)
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese (sliced)
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions:

1. Cook the sausage and beef together with the onion and garlic over medium heat in a Dutch style oven, until golden brown. Mix in all tomatoes (crushed, puree, & sauce) and water. Use the sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt (1 TBSP), pepper, and parsley (2 TBSPs) to season. Cover and let simmer for around one and a half hours, stirring often.
2. Boil a pot of lightly salted water to cook lasagna noodles, around ten minutes. Drain and then rinse the noodles with cold water. Use a separate bowl to mix together the ricotta cheese with the large egg, the rest of the parsley, and salt (half TSP).
3. Heat oven to 375 F (190 C).
4. In a 9×13 baking dish, pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the meat mixture evenly. Then place about six noodles on top of meat mixture. Add the ricotta cheese mix next, then about a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Add more of the meat mixture over mozzarella, and then add Parmesan cheese on top. Repeat these instructions to add layers. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top to finish. Cover with foil.
5. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool a quarter of an hour.