New Family No-Boil Lasagna

Submitted by riflchik

"This recipe is modified from one I found online, but I've tweaked it enough that it really is it's own recipe. It makes two 9x13 pans of lasagna, and freezes beautifully. The lasagna keeps it's structure, setting it apart from other recipes I have tried over the years. The fresh mozzarella really makes a difference! New Family No-Boil Lasagna got it's name because I made it for a friend who had just brought her baby home from the hospital. Her husband gave it such rave reviews that I figured I'd put it up to share!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 40mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 2 9x13 pans
• Serves: 12-16

ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (32 ounce) jar marinara sauce (use your favorite tomato or spaghetti sauce)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons italian seasoning (I used Pensey's Tuscan Sunset)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 24 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 -2 tablespoon dried basil
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 32 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 18 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles (more or less, depending on your pan)

directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown the sausage and beef together in a large sauce pan.
3. Add tomatoes (including their juice), marinara, seasoning, and pepper. Use the water to rinse your marinara jar and then add it to the pot. The extra liquid will help the no-boil noodles cook thoroughly.
4. If you have a rind from your Parmesan, toss that in the sauce to add flavor. Just don't forget to take it out before you build your lasagna!
5. Let the sauce simmer while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
6. Mix the ricotta, basil, eggs, pepper, salt and Parmesan in a bowl. Set aside.
7. Slice the fresh mozzarella. You want slices about 1/4" thick.
8. To build the lasagnas, you will need 2 9x13 pans.
9. Put about a cup of sauce in the bottom of the pans.
10. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce, then cover with more sauce.
11. Next layer 1/4 of the ricotta mixture in each pan.
12. Lay about 1/6 of the mozzarella over the ricotta in each pan.
13. Repeat another set of layers. Noodles, sauce, the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella. Then another layer of noodles.
14. Cover the last layer of noodles with sauce, then layer on the remaining mozzarella.
15. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
16. If you are freezing or refrigerating to bake later, do so after the 45 min bake.
17. If you are eating right away, bake another 15 minutes uncovered to brown up the top.
18. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.