World's Best Lasagna My Way

World's Best Lasagna

1 lb lean ground chuck
6 oz hot Italian sausage
6 oz mild Italian sausage
1 onion, minced
2 tsp minced garlic
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsps salt
4 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 lbs ricotta
1 egg
6 slices provolone cheese
8 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz pkg shredded Italian blend cheese
5 oz pkg shredded parmesan and romano cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook ground chuck, sausages, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned and crumbled. Stir in garlic salt and pepper to taste. Add cruched tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, sugar, basil, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt, parsley flakes and red pepper flakes and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cook the lasagna noodles al dente and drain. Beat the ricotta and egg until well blended.

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a lasagna pan (I used one of those cool new ones with 3 separate channels for the first time today, but a 9x13 or thereabouts is fine too!) Arrange a layer of noodles over the sauce, spread with a layer of ricotta, and then the provolone slices. Spoon more sauce over the provolone, then a layer of noodles, ricotta, shredded mozzarella and some of the parmesan blend. Repeat layers until the pan is full, ending with noodles, sauce, shredded Italian blend and finally the parmesan/romano.

Cover with foil sprayed with Pam to prevent it sticking to the cheese and bake for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is all melted and starting to brown a bit on top. Cool 15-30 minutes before serving.

This recipe (from allrecipes.com) makes enough for a full lasagna pan plus a 9x5 pan to freeze for another day!

I loved this Lasagna. Jen & Mom both thought it was a little too sweet (even though I used half the amount of sugar the original recipe called for). This is very similar to the way I make my Lasagna...only difference is I use a large jar of Ragu (instead of the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste & sauce) and then add the spices/herbs and only a pinch of sugar. However, this was the best Lasagna I've tried other than my own!