LASAGNE

Originally Submitted by Sunny Ray

1 pound Sweet Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoon fresh chopped basil (use less if dried)
4 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped (use less if dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon ground pepper
23 ounces Ricotta Cheese
½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 egg
1 pound mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic in a pot until they start to look brown. It takes about 6 to 9 minutes to brown the meat. I like to use a Dutch oven to cook this portion of the recipe. I use a medium low temperature to brown the meat. It is optional to remove the grease from the meat once it is finished browning, your choice.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Gently stir into the cooked meat.

Add the white sugar, fennel seed, basil, 2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, and ground pepper. Gently stir these seasonings into the sauce. Cover the pot and let the meat sauce simmer

For 1 hour and thirty minutes.

Soak the lasagna noodles in hot tap water for 15 minutes.

While the noodles are soaking, you can make the cheese filling. To a mixing bowl add the ricotta cheese. Grate the fresh nutmeg over the ricotta cheese. Add the egg and the remaining 2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley. Mix these ingredients together with a spoon.

To build the lasagna layers use a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread 2 cups of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Remove the lasagna noodles out of the water bath. Shake water off wet noodles. Lay 6 noodles across the layer of sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the layer of noodles. Spread half of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer. Spread half of the Parmesan cheese over the mozzarella layer. Spread 2 cups of meat sauce over the cheese layer. Lay down the next layer of noodles. Spread the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, saving some cheese for the top of the lasagna. Put the last layer of meat sauce on the cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover the lasagna with foil. Bake in preheated oven a 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes. Serves 12 people.