Recipe: Lasagna with Meat Sauce (McCall's Cooking School)

MCCALL'S COOKING SCHOOL LASAGNA

FOR THE SAUCE:
1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar
salt
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
1/2 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided use
4 cups canned Italian-style tomatoes, undrained (or one 35-ounce can)
2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
FOR THE LASAGNA:
12 lasagna noodles (3/4 of a 1-pound package)
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
In a 5 quart Dutch oven, saute sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic, stirring frequently, until well-browned, about 20 minutes.

Add sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, the basil, fennel, pepper, and half the parsley; mix well. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/2 cup water, mashing tomatoes with wooden spoon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer covered and stirring occasionally, until thick, about 1 1/2 hours.

TO MAKE THE LASAGNA:
In a large pot , cook lasagna noodles until just barely tender. Drain in colander; rinse under cold water. Dry lasagna noodles on a clean dry towel.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, remaining 1/8 cup parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix.

In bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce. Layer with 6 lasagna noodles, lengthwise and overlapping, to cover. Spread with half of ricotta mixture; top with third of mozzarella. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of sauce over cheese; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layering, starting with 6 lasagna noodles and ending with 1 1/2 cups sauce sprinkled with Parmesan. Spread remaining sauce; top with rest of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil; tucking around edge.

Bake 25 minutes; remove foil; bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer, or until bubbly. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings
Source: McCall's Cooking School