THREE CHEESE LASAGNE WITH SAUSAGE
1 Tablespoon olive
oil
1 Cup onion, chopped
3/4 Cup carrot, peeled & finely chopped
2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
8 Ounces ground beef (or meatballs, broken up)
6 Ounces Italian sausage, spicy
28 Ounces tomatoes, crushed
1/4 Cup tomato paste
1/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
15 lasagna noodles
30 Ounces ricotta cheese
1 Cup Parmesan cheese
10 Ounces spinach, frozen & chopped, thawed and drained
2 Large eggs
4 3/4 Cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and garlic; sauté till tender, about 12 minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté till cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes). Discard bay leaf. Cool.
Preheat oven to 350, Cook noodles til almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water.
Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Drain pasta and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9 glass pan. Place 5 noodles over sauce. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups grated mozzarella evenly over ricotta mixture.. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over mozzarella, spreading with spatula to cover. Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over lasagna.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover and continue baking until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes.
Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.