Lasagna

My Lifelong Love Affair With Lasagna

Homemade Lasagna

Heather’s Lasagna, serves 8

I usually use a jar of sauce or double the sauce ingredients because there never seems to be enough for all of the layers.

3 tbsp olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic
1 lb lean ground beef
3 cups (approx two cans) Italian plum tomatoes
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ lb lasagna noodles (cooked)
½ lb mozzarella
2 cups ricotta
¼ lb freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a skillet.  Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook stirring until they are lightly browned.  Push to the side of the pan and add the beef, break it up into bits, cooking until it loses its pink color.  Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor add to the meat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the butter, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Assemble the lasagna by drizzling some of the sauce over the bottom of a shallow rectangular baking dish.  Put in a layer of noodles, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and spread on a layer of ricotta.  Make another layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella and ricotta.  Finish with noodles and sauce.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top and bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.