World's Best Lasagna

• servings: 8-12

Ingredients

**COOK:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

3/4 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

**STIR IN:

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

1/2 cup water

**SEASON WITH:

1 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 Tablespoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

**COOK:

12 lasagna noodles

**MIX:

15 ounces ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

**TOPPING:

2 packages (10 slices each mozzarella cheese)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

PRHEAT: Bake to 350 middle rack: 45-to 55 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes until top is lightly brown . Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

1.**COOK: In a Dutch oven cook Italian sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned

2. **STIR IN:Stir in crushed tomatoes. tomato sauce, tomato paste. and water.

2. **SEASON WITH: Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 Tablespoon salt,1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 Tablespoon parsley. Simmer, covered for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. **COOK:Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.

3.**MIX: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese ,egg, with remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoons salt.

4. ** TO ASSEMBLE: , spread 2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengths cut to fit over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 6 of mozzarella cheese slices 1 cut to fit. Spoon 1 1/2 cup meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layer, and top with remaining Mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

5. Cover with non stick foil: to prevent sticking. Make sure foil does not touch the cheese.

Notes

Made Christmas 2017, 2018, 2019,

Internal temp 160-165 in middle