Mom's Hearty Lasagna

This is my mom's recipe (well, minus the hot sauce), and it is the only lasagna I'll eat now. Oh, I've tried others, but this one has always been the best.

Here it is before going into the oven.

Hot out of the oven!

Yummy! Served with a few slices of garlic bread and a fennel salad on the side. If you let the lasagna set before cutting into it it'll not fall over like mine did. I just couldn't wait to dig in!


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/4 hours
Makes: 12 servings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1-2 cloves (or more) garlic, minced
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 t dried basil
  
• hot sauce, to taste
  
• 1 t sugar
• 2 cups water

Ingredients for the lasagna:

• 1 package lasagna noodles
• 16 oz ricotta
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella (or use fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks)

1. Brown the beef in a large pot. Add onion and garlic and cook another 3-5 minutes.

2. Add remaining sauce ingredients and cook for 1 1/2 hours (or more), stirring occassionally. The sauce should be nice and thick.

3. Preheat oven to 325.

4. Make lasagna noodles according to package instructions.

5. In a 9 x 11 glass pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, layer the ingredients in the order below. You should end up with 4 layers, but if put you run out of room in your pan, 3 layers is just fine.

sauce
noodles
ricotta
mozzarella
sauce
Parmesan

6. Bake for 45 minutes. Let set before serving. Well, ok, I've never been able to let it set. I just dig in!