Recipe - Lasagna

My wife (I helped) made this for dinner New Years Eve night and I have to say that it is probably the best lasagna that I have eaten! This stuff was terrific!

Lasagna

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 2 tbls)
1 pound ground meat (80/20)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 can tomato puree (28 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)


Cheese Filling and Pasta

1 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 1/2 oz grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 large egg slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 lasagna noodles (no boil)
16 oz whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)


Adjust the oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 375°.



Sauce

Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat until simmering.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soften but not too browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the meatloaf mix, salt and pepper breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon until the meat loses it's raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes.

Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid evaporates and only the rendered fat remains, about 4 minutes.

Add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until the flavors have blended, about 3 minutes.

Set aside.

*The cooled sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat before assembling the lasagna.


The Cheese Filling

Combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the parmesan cheese, basil, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.

Spread the bottom of a 13X9 baking dish with 1/4 cup of the meat sauce (avoiding large chunks of meat).

Place 3 noodles in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spread each noodle evenly with 3 tbsp of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle the entire layer with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spread the cheese evenly with 1 1/2 cups of the meat sauce.

Repeat the layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella and meat sauce two more times.

Place the 3 remaining noodles on top of the sauce, spread evenly with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella then the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

Spray a large sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.

Bake 15 minutes the remove the foil. Continue to bake until the cheese is spotty brown and the sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut into pieces and serve.