Ready in about: 3 hours 15 minutes, Servings: 12
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ lb. lean ground beef
- ½ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (about 28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (about 6 oz) tomato paste
- 2 cans (6½ oz) canned tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp. white sugar
- ½ tbsp. dried basil leaves
- ½ tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1½ tsp. salt, divided, or to taste
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 2 cups ricotta cheese, grated
- 1 large-size egg
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced
Instructions:
- Set the Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic until well browned.
- Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water in a medium-size mixing ceramic bowl.
- Season the mixture with sugar, basil, 1 tsp salt, pepper, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, and 2 tbsp parsley. Cover and simmer for nearly 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Boil a large pot of lightly salted water—Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes in warm water. Wash and sink noodles under cold running water. Combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the medium-size mixing bowl.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190 degrees C). Spread 1½ cups meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise in a row on top of the meat sauce. Spread one-half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the top.
- Add 1/3 of the cheese slices (mozzarella) on top. Over the mozzarella, spoon 1½ cups meat sauce and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Continue layering until all mozzarella and Parmesan cheese is used; top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. To avoid sticking, either spray the foil with cooking spray or make sure it does not contact the cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes in the already heated oven. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes. Allow 15 minutes to cool before serving.
