Lasagna With Meat Sauce

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A Father's Day Favorite. In our house it is never too warm for lasagna and with no-boil noodles, the process is quick.

Italian-American Meat Sauce

Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients

2 35-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups)

8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

Salt

¾ cup dry white wine

⅓ cup tomato paste

4 bay leaves

1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

4 cups hot water

Directions

Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with a fine blade. Set aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a heavy 4 to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Make a little room in the center of the pot, dump in the garlic, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the ground beef and pork and season lightly with salt. 

Cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat changes color and the water it gives off is boiled away for about 10 minutes. Continue cooking until the meat is browned about 5 minutes. 

Add the bay leaves and oregano then pour in the wine. Bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the pot, until the wine is almost completely evaporated. 

Pour in the tomatoes, then stir in the tomato paste until is dissolved. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to a lively simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce takes on a deep, brick-red color, 2 to 3 hours. Add the hot water, about 1/2 cup at a time, as necessary to maintain the level of liquid for the length of time the sauce cooks. 

Skim off any fat floating on top and adjust the seasoning as necessary. The sauce can be prepared entirely in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Easy Meat Sauce Lasagna

3 cup ricotta cheese

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

6 cups Meat Sauce

12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

12 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese (about 3 cups)

HOW TO MAKE IT

Stir the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and eggs in a medium bowl and set it aside. Spoon 2 cups beef mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with 4 lasagna noodles, half the ricotta cheese mixture, and half the mozzarella. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining 4 lasagna noodles, sauce, and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400°F, for 30 minutes or until the lasagna is hot. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.