Sunday Suppers-Classic Lasagna

Warning!  This is not a dog (or cat) focused post.   I just really, really, really like this lasagna recipe.  Its not Italian style lasagna (which I also like) but rather Italian-American, meaning lots of meat and cheese!  Yum.  

Classic American Lasagna


Meat Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced garlic, minced in the food processor
1/2 pound diced yellow onions
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk diced
3 lbs ground beef
2 28 oz cans tomatoes in juice
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp dried oregano


Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat.  Add garlic and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Add carrot and celery and cook for another five minutes.


Push the vegetables to the side and begin browning the meat in three batches.  Cook until just beginining to brown, 3-5 minutes, then push aside and add more meat.  When all the meat is browned stir the whole mess together.


Add the tomatoes and juice and crush the tomatoes up with the back of a spoon.  Add the tomato paste, sugar and oregano.  Stir well.  Simmer 1 1/2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper to taste


Lasagna
1 box no boil lasagna noodles
1 15 oz container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 egg beaten,
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1lb grated mozzarella, not fresh
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


Preheat oven to 350.  


In a large bowl stir together the ricotta, parsley, and egg.  Season with salt and pepper.


Spoon and spread about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over the bottom of an appropriately sized lasagna pan.  Top with a single layer of noodles, breaking noodles to cover the sauce if necessary.  Top with half of the ricotta mixture, a third of the mozzarella, a third of the remaining meat sauce, and a third of the parmesan.  Cover with another layer of noodles.  Top the noodles with the remaining ricotta mixture and spread evenly with a spatula.  Top the ricotta mixture with half of the remaining mozzarella, half of the remaining meat sauce, and half of the remaining Parmesan.  Top with another single layer of noodles the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Season layers with salt and pepper as you go.


Bake for one hour until bubbly and cooked through.


Yum!