Classic Lasagna

Homemade sauce is time-consuming but worth the extra effort. Make it on a weekend, and freeze it to enjoy later with lasagna or your favorite pasta.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hour(s)
Stand: 25 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  pound  lean ground beef
• 1  (14.5-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
• 2  (6-oz.) cans tomato paste
• 1  (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano tomato sauce
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon  Italian seasoning
• 1 1/4  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  pepper, divided
• 12  lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 8  cups  boiling water
• 1  (16-oz.) container ricotta cheese
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4  cup  grated Parmesan cheese
• 2  (6-oz.) packages part-skim mozzarella cheese slices
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add beef, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf; set meat sauce aside.

2. Place lasagna noodles in a 13- x- 9-inch pan. Carefully pour 8 cups boiling water and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil over noodles. Let stand 15 minutes.

3. Stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.

4. Spoon half of the meat sauce mixture in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Shake excess water from noodles, and arrange 6 noodles over meat sauce; top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 package mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers once.

5. Bake, covered, at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.