Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef lean or italian sausage
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onions chopped (to make 1 cup)
  • 1 large sweet red bell peppers red or green, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • 28 ounces tomatoes plum italian
  • 6 ounces tomato paste one small can
  • 13 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons basil dried
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 1 x black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 each bay leaves broken in half
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese fresh
  • 4 cups mozzarella cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup parmesan, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
  • 1 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 ounces lasagna noodles 8 whole noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup parmesan, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated freshly grated
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese freshly grated

Method

  • Remove sausage casings and crumble sausage.
  • Brown meat in large pot, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
  • Drain off fat.
  • Remove meat and set aside.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in the same pot, add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender.
  • Stir in the reserved meat, tomato puree, tomato paste, water, basil, oregano, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bay leaf and bring to boil.
  • Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours, or until flavors mingle and mixture thickens slightly (there will be about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of sauce).
  • Combine ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
  • Bring 3 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.
  • Add 1 tablespoon salt, then gradually add lasagne noodles so that water continues to boil.
  • Cook noodles until barely tender, about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice; do not overcook.
  • Drain noodles; rinse in cold water and drain well.
  • Return noodles to pot and toss them gently with 1 tablespoon oil to prevent them sticking.
  • Line the bottom of a a buttered 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan with 4 lasagne noodles, cutting one as necessary to completely cover the bottom.
  • Spread evenly with half of ricotta mixture (1 generous cup).
  • Sprinkle evenly with half of mozarella (about 2 cups).
  • Spread with half of the tomato/meat sauce.
  • Top with remaining 4 noodles, cutting one noodle as above so that the sauce mixture is completely covered.
  • Evenly layer on remaining ingredients in the same order as above.
  • Sprinkle the top of the lasagne evenly with 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for about 45 or 50 minutes or until lasagne is hot in center.
  • Remove from oven; let stand for 15 minutes.
  • Cut in squares and serve on heated plates with garlic bread.