Championship Lasagna from the Total Woman Cookbook

Serves 10

For Cooking Ahead – Prepare four batches . . . Never make just one lasagna!

Meat Sauce Ingredients
¼ cup salad or olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef
¾ pound sweet or hot Italian sausage
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1 12-ounce can tomato paste
1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
½ cup water or beef broth
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 ½ tsps. Dried basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. fennel seeds (optional)

Remaining Ingredients:
¾ of 1-pound package lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles)
½ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pound Ricotta cheese
1 egg beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in large saucepan or skillet. Add onion to garlic and sauté until tender but not brown. Add ground beef and sausage and stir until crumbly and brown. Pour off fat. Add rest of sauce ingredients and bring to boil; reduce heat and cook slowly uncovered for two hours; stir occasionally. Made meat sauce the day before, if possible. Long, slow cooking enhances the flavor. A crock-pot overnight works well.
2. In large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese and egg.
3. In 8-quart kettle, bring three quarts water to boiling. Stir in 1 Tbs. salt and 1 Tbs. oil. Add lasagna, 2-3 at a time so the water does not stop boiling. Boil uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Drain in colander; rinse with cold water. Dry on dish towels.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spoon 1 cup meat sauce. Place 6 lasagna noodles, overlapping each, over sauce. Spread with half of ricotta mixture; sprinkle with 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 ½ cups sauce over cheese; sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan. Repeat layering with rest of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
5. If freezing, wrap dish tightly with foil. Thaw before baking. Cover loosely with foil. (Spray foil with Pam to prevent cheese from sticking while baking). Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Cool 15 minutes before cutting into squares.