Lasagna Al Forno

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 lb dried lasagna noodle
• olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb ground italian sausage
• 6 ounces tomato paste (1 can)
• 30 ounces ricotta cheese (2 containers)
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf italian parsley, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt
• pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
• gated parmesan cheese, for topping
• mozzarella cheese, for topping

Recipe

• 1 cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
• 2 drain the noodles thoroughly, coat with olive oil keep them moist and easy to work with.
• 3 coat a large skillet with olive oil. saute over medium heat, onion, garlic and herbs. cook 5 minutes.
• 4 brown beef and sausage until no longer pink, about 15 minutes. drain fat into a small container and discard.
• 5 stir in the tomato paste completely. set aside to cool.
• 6 in a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parsley and oregano. stir in beaten eggs. add parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
• 7 to assemble the lasagna:
• 8 coat the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch pan with a ladle full of tomato sauce.
• 9 arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. this forms a collar that holds in the corners.
• 10 spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the pasta.
• 11 dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the meat, spread to the edges with a spatula.
• 12 sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta.
• 13 top with a ladle full of tomato sauce, spread evenly.
• 14 repeat with the next layer of noodles, meat, cheeses and sauce.
• 15 top last layer with noodles, sauce and shredded mozzarella and parmesan. tap the pan to force out air .
• 16 cover with foil. bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• 17 remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
• 18 remove from oven. let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. cut into squares and serve.