Easy Classic Lasagna

What Is Lasagna?

Lasagna is an Italian dish originating from Italy and has become popular in many countries especially the United States. You will find most recipes use similar ingredients, but some may vary slightly.

A good lasagna recipe in my opinion must not turn out dry but instead be nice and saucy. It is usually made using a flat lasagna noodle layered with a béchamel sauce and also another layer of a ricotta & parmesan cheese mixture which is repeated several times and then finally topped with mozerella cheese and baked to perfection.

Here I will give you my version of lasagna that I have been making for years and found my family and I have been very satisfied with it. We usually use ground beef, or ground pork (which is what is available where we live) however you may also use sweet Italian sausage if you live in the states where it is available, which was introduced to me by my sister-in-law, and I found it gave it a nice taste.

Ingredients for Easy & Classic Lasagna

• Beef Mince – Substitutions may be with pork mince or Italian sausage removed from the casing.
• Lasagna Noodles
• Seasoned Salt
• Garlic Salt
• Marinara Sauce or Traditional Pasta Sauce
• sugar
• Oregano – or Italian Seasoning
• Garlic
• Onions
• Green Pepper
• Ricotta Cheese
• Egg
• Parmesan Cheese – Fresh grated
• Mozzerella Cheese
• * Fresh Basil – optional 

Preparation for Easy Classic Lasagna

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1. The meat is cooked in a non-stick skillet, drained and mixed into a nice pasta or marinara sauce using a bigger pot.
2. I also make it using a ricotta mixture with an egg and some parmesan cheese which is made in a separate bowl as one of our layers. 
3. Once your meat sauce and ricotta is made, you are ready to start your layers.
4. I start by putting just enough meat sauce in the bottom of the pan to cover it, then I layer 3 uncooked lasagna noodles side by side.
5. Your next layer is to spread 1/2 of your ricotta mixture over your noodles evenly, and cover that with meat sauce. Repeat the same layers where you would end up with 2 layers of ricotta sauce and 3 layers of noodles. Your last layer of noodles you will cover with all the remaining sauce.
6. You will then cover your pan tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 1 hour. (your noodles will be cooked when it is done)
7. You will then uncover the foil and sprinkle all the mozzarella cheese on top, place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes or desired color on top.
8. Remove to cool at least an hour before cutting and serving.
9. Using a nice lasagna baking pan is also great. I hope you will give my recipe a try and leave me a comment.

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Easy Classic Lasagna

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 6

Author Dianne

Ingredients

• 9 Lasagna Noodles
• 1 Lb. Ground beef or pork or swwet Itlalian Sausage
• 1/2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
• 40 oz. Marinara Sauce or Traditional Pasta Sauces
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning or Oregano
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 4 cloves Garlic minced
• 1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper minced
• 1/4 cup Onion minced
• 16 oz. Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 cup Parmesean Cheese fresh grated
• 2 cups Mozerella Cheese fresh grated or sliced
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil chopped

Instructions

Meat Sauce

1. Season ground beef or meat of choice with salts, garic, onion, and green pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, add ground beef and kepp stirring and crushing while it cooks with a fork so it's crumbly. This may take a few minutes, continue until no longer pink. Drain off any drainings, return to skillet.

3. Place on medium-low heat, add marinara sauce or pasta sauce of choice, Italian seasoning or oregano, fresh basil and sugar. Simmer about 5 minutes, turn off heat.

Ricotta Mixture

1. In a medium bowl, combine the egg, slightly beaten, ricotta, and 1/2 pack of the parmesean cheese. stir until combined

Assembling Lasagna

1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees. Using a lasgna pan, First, spoon some of the meat sauce on the bottom (mostly using more sauce than meat), just enough to coat the bottom.

2. Lay 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top next to each other, side by side.

3. Spread a layer of the ricotta mixture covering all the noodles (using only half the mixture). Sprinkle some of the remaining parmesean cheese over this.

4. Spoon 1/3 of meat sauce over this layer covering all areas. Place 3 more noodles on top of this and repeat the layer of ricotta (using what is left), the parmesean cheese, and 1/2 of meat sauce left.

5. cover with your last 3 noodles and then remaining meat sauce.

6. Cover pan well with foil. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. (this process will cook your noodles). Remove foil and cover top with all the mozerella cheese. Place back in oven for 15 minutes or a little longer as needed to brown.

7. Remove from oven. Cool at least 30 minutes - 1 hour and slice in about 12 slices.

   Ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Serves well with a Caesar side salad & garlic bread optional.