Cheese Lasagna

3-Cheese Lasagna

Serves 12
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

• ●  1 pound sweet ground Italian sausage

• ●  3⁄4 pound lean ground beef

• ●  1⁄2 cup diced onion

• ●  2 cloves garlic, minced

• ●  1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

• ●  2 cans (6 ounces) tomato paste

• ●  2 cans (6.5 ounces) canned tomato sauce

• ●  1⁄2 cup water

• ●  2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

• ●  4 1⁄2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

• ●  11⁄2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

• ●  1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• ●  1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  Ricotta Cheese Mixture

• ●  16 ounces ricotta cheese

• ●  1 egg

• ●  1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  Lasagna Layers

• ●  12 lasagna noodles

• ●  3⁄4 pound sliced mozzarella cheese, divided

• ●  3⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

Meat Sauce Preparation

1. In a Dutch oven, add sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic. Stir together and cook over

   medium heat for 10 minutes, or until meat is well browned.

2. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.

3. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.

4. Allow to simmer for 11⁄2 hours while covered. Stir occasionally.

Ricotta Cheese Mixture Preparation
1. Mix ricotta cheese, egg, 2 tablespoons parsley, and salt into a medium sized mixing bowl.

Assembling and Cooking the Lasagna
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

1. Spray food release oil onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish

2. To layer, spread 1 1⁄2 cups of meat sauce to the bottom of the baking dish

3. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.

4. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture onto the newly placed noodle layer.

5. Top with 1⁄4 pound of shredded mozzarella cheese and then sprinkle 1⁄4 cup of parmesan

   cheese evenly.

6. Repeat layers, this time with the remaining amounts of mozzarella and parmesan.

7. Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking and then use to cover lasagna

8. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, remove foil, and then bake for an additional 25

   minutes, or until top is lightly browned and sauce begins to boil around the edges.

9. Cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Serving and Storing

1. Cut the lasagna into 12 equal pieces, and then serve at room temperature.

2. Garnish with 1⁄2 tablespoon of parsley.

3. Cover leftovers with saran wrap and store on top shelf of refrigerator.