One of my most favorite memories growing up was when my Mom would make her yummy lasagna! Ahhh, the smells of garlic, oregano, and basil would fill the house. Seriously, I don’t think there is anything better than that combination! After I grew up, my Mom shared her recipe with all of us kids and her grandkids. Over the years, I have tweaked that original recipe until it evolved into today’s GRAMMY’S CLASSIC LASAGNA and a huge family favorite that we especially enjoy at Christmas time. My version uses savory Italian sausage, a combination of both fresh ricotta and cottage cheeses, along with a liberal addition of Italian herbs and seasonings, with the result being a savory, scrumptious dish that is sure to please your guests and family alike!! Check out my recipe for GRAMMY’S CLASSIC LASAGNA below…..ENJOY! 🙂
GRAMMY'S CLASSIC LASAGNA
Ingredients
- 1 LB Italian Sausage (can sub ground beef)
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce of your choice
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (Italian seasoned)
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 box lasagna noodles (uncooked or half-cooked, your choice)
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 8 oz cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pan, brown the Italian sausage til cooked through. Add in minced garlic and saute for an additional minute or two
- Add in the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to the meat mixture. Lightly simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, if desired, par-boil your lasagna noodles for about 5 minutes to lightly soften them. This is what I do so that the noodles so don't soak up all the sauce but you can also use uncooked noodles, if desired.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and egg til well blended.
- In the bottom of a 9x13 pan, spread a scoop of the sauce lightly around to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Place 4 noodles on the bottom of the pan, cover with 1/3 of sauce, then 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, then 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and cheeses on top.
- Top with grated parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 350* for 30-45 minutes until bubbly and warmed through.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. ENJOY1
