Lasagna

Great classic lasagna with Italian sausage, ground beef, lots of basil and lots of cheese. Making lasagna is an effort, I make enough to freeze some for later. This recipe makes three trays (disposable aluminum 14"x10"x3") and sometimes enough for a small fourth loaf-pan for lunch the next day. I buy the sausage, peeled tomatoes, pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese from Costco. (Side note: once I forgot the basil in this recipe and it was still fabulous). I make the sauce in a big 13 quart dutch oven.

(Yield: three 14"x10"x3" trays) Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 5 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, casings removed

• 3 lbs ground beef

• 2 yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cup)

• 10 garlic cloves, chopped

• 2 tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper

• 100 oz Nina's Italian Peeled Tomatoes

• 31 oz Rao's tomato sauce (or your brand of choice)

• 3 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped *divided

• 45 oz ricotta cheese

• 2.5 lbs grated mozzarella cheese *divided

• 1 1/2 lbs grated Parmesan cheese *divided

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 4 packages of no-boil lasagna noodles (I like the brand with wavy noodles vs the flat noodles)

• non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

Prepare sauce

1. Heat oil in heavy large dutch oven over medium-high heat. (I use a 13 quart dutch oven)

2. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add sausage and ground beef, sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into smaller chunky pieces. Then add oregano and crushed red pepper, stirring until fully combined.

3. To the sausage mixture, add canned tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce, smashing the whole tomatoes into smaller chunks. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare filling

1. Mix chopped basil (reserve 2 tbsp for garnish before serving), ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1 cup Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in medium size bowl. If the filling seems dry add another egg, should be creamy.
   

Lasagna assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Arrange the three trays on the counter. (tip: assemble the first layer across all three trays, then the second, and so on. This will help keep things proportional among the three trays)

3. Spread 1 cup of sauce, just to coat the bottom of the tray.

4. Take six uncooked noodles (or enough to cover entire bottom of pan, overlapping is okay) and spread filling over each noodle, like spreading cheese on a cracker. Place noodles evenly in dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheese 2 more times. Top with remaining six noodles. Spoon remaining sauce on top of noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down. Bake lasagna for 40 minutes.

6. Carefully remove foil. Increase temperature to 400 F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and let stand for 15-30 minutes before serving. Garnish with reserved 2 tbsp of basil when serving. (adapted from Bon Appetit)