Lasagna

Makes 12 servings

Daddy says this is pretty close to his Mom’s lasagna. It can be done meatless as well, or you could use chicken, turkey, or cooked eggplant.

ingredients

Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles
12 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
12 ounces Mozzarella, grated
3 cups meat sauce

Meat Sauce

1 pound ground beef (or chicken, or turkey)
1 pound sausage (mild or spicy)
OR
2 Average sized eggplants, baked, skins removed and pulp lightly mashed
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt
Pepper

directions

1
The Lasagna
2
Prepare noodles as instructed on package. Drain.
3
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, parsley, 1/2 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper.
4
Spread 3/4 cup meat sauce in bottom of 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Lay 3 noodles down in pan and spread with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with Mozzarella and top with meat sauce. Repeat procedure for one more layer ending with last three noodles and then sauce.
5
Top with remaining Mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for 15 minutes before slicing or it will be runny.
6
Serve with a salad and garlic bread. YUMMY!!

1
The Sauce
2
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Brown ground beef and sausage. Stir in onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, basil and oregano. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened about 45 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3
Yield: 12 cups
4
This can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days, or frozen for 6 months.

notes

If you cool the lasgna completely, you can freeze the whole thing for months. To reheat, keep covered and start in a cold oven. Turn the temp to 350 and warm for about an hour to an hour and a half, remove the foil in the last ten minutes.

Source: Elizabeth Pentecost