Ingredients
Scale
- Half pound dry lasagna noodles, unbroken
- One-and-a-half pound mozzarella cheese, grated
- One pound ricotta cheese
- Quarter pound Parmesan cheese, grated
Tomato Sauce
- One pound ground beef chuck
- Tomato sauce, one 24oz can
- Crushed tomatoes, one 14oz can
- Tomato paste, half a 6oz can
- Quarter cup freshly chopped parsley.
- One tablespoon white wine vinegar
- One tablespoon Italian seasoning
- One tablespoon sugar
- Two teaspoons olive oil, extra-virgin
- Two teaspoons dried oregano
- Two garlic cloves, minced
- Half onion, medium, diced
- Half bell pepper, diced
- A pinch of garlic powder
- Salt
Instructions
- Place a pot and add a tablespoon of salt for every two quarts of water for the pasta. Then, turn on the stove and heat while making the sauce.
- Cook the oil in a skillet on medium-high for two minutes, then add the ground beef and cook until it browns. Remove the cooked beef and drain excess fat.
- In the same pan, cook the onions and bell peppers for four to five minutes, then the minced garlic for 30 more minutes. Then, combine the beef in the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for five more minutes.
- Pour the ground beef mixture into a saucepan and add the tomato ingredients. Stir the mixture and add the oregano, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Stir some more and adjust the taste with garlic powder and salt- be careful with the salt, as Parmesan is also salty.
- Add the vinegar, and then add sugar to preference. Then, heat the sauce to a simmer, lower heat and cook for 15 to 45 minutes, occasionally stirring and scraping the bottom, so it doesn’t burn. And once it’s ready, turn off the stove.
- Put the noodles in the boiling water, stirring as the water roll-boils, so they don’t stick. Continue until the noodles cook to al dente, then drain them and rinse with cold water. Separate the noodles so they won’t stick, sprinkling olive oil on their surfaces for the same purpose.
- Prep the oven to 375F and bring a casserole dish. Spread a cup of the sauce in the dish, followed by a layer of noodles. Spread one-third of the remaining sauce on the lasagna, followed by one-third of the mozzarella cheese. Add half the ricotta in dollops at specific spacings, then half the Parmesan cheese.
- Add a second layer of noodles, then half the sauce, half the mozzarella, the remaining ricotta, and remaining Parmesan cheese. Complete the lasagna assembly with a final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil, ensuring it doesn’t touch or rest on the lasagna mixture. Then, bake for 45 minutes, removing the foil cover at the final 10 minutes for a crispy top. Finally, let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Also, consider this video for more suggestions.