MMMM...Lasagna!

Mama's Homemade Lasagna 

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 and 1/2  large onions

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

One 6oz. can of tomato paste

3 ounces of tomato sauce

6 ounces of ricotta cheese

1 pound of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 box of Ronzoni Lasagna (use only 15 pieces) (4 teaspoons of salt and 3 tablespoons of oil for water that you boil the lasagna in)

Directions:

Peel and chop the onions. In a large saucepan, add the oil, and saute the ground beef on medium low heat with the onions, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil leaves for 15 minutes.

Then add the tomato paste and tomato sauce, and cover the beef with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and cook for another 15 minutes.

Fill another large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. When it boils, add the salt and oil, and throw in the 7 pieces of lasagna. Cook for about 20 minutes. Fill a rectangular baking pan(wide enough for the lasagna pieces) with warm water and place the cooked lasagna in that pan and set them aside. Cook the next eight pieces of lasagna and place them in the pan when they are done.

Arranging the lasagna: On the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch glass baking pan, spread some of the beef sauce on the bottom(use mostly the oily part of the sauce). Place 3 pieces of lasagna lengthwise on top of the sauce. Spread some sauce over those 3 pieces, some ricotta, and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese. 

 

Repeat this process 4 more times, proportioning out the sauce, ricotta, and cheese for each layer. When you are done, cut a piece of aluminum foil that is large enough to cover the pan. Spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray. This will prevent cheese from sticking the foil. Cover the pan with the foil, wrapping the sides of the foil tightly around it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum foil and let it cook for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.