Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef (85/15 lean-to-fat ratio)
  • 1 lb Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce
  • 0.5 cup water or dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1.5 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp fennel seeds
  • 30 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 0.75 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 12 to 15 lasagna noodles

Instructions:

  1. Brown the meats. In your Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium high heat. Cook until no pink remains, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain the fat, but keep about one tablespoon in the pot for sautéing the aromatics.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Stir in the diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and fragrant, usually about 5 minutes.
  3. Build the sauce. Incorporate the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and your liquid (water or wine). Note: Using wine adds a layer of tannins that cuts through the fat of the meat.
  4. Simmer to perfection. Add the sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and fennel seeds. Simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should turn a dark mahogany color and thicken significantly.
  5. Prepare the cheese binder. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, beaten egg, fresh parsley, salt, and 1/2 cup of the parmesan. Mix until smooth and uniform.
  6. Lay the foundation. Spread 1.5 cups of the meat sauce into the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Arrange 5 noodles lengthwise over the sauce. Note: Overlapping the noodles slightly helps the structure.
  7. Layer the fillings. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with one third of the mozzarella. Repeat the process: sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella.
  8. Finalize the top. Add the final layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, the rest of the mozzarella, and the remaining parmesan.
  9. The first bake. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake at 190°C for 25 minutes to heat the center and soften the pasta.
  10. The crust formation. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling. Let it rest for 15 minutes before you even think about slicing it.