This is your mother's lasagna if you are around forty-three and Jewish. If you are actually lucky enough to have been born Italian, your mother's lasagna has a lot more…gravitas…if food can actually have gravitas…
But this is a recipe that was NOT influenced by authentic Italian cooks.
When it comes to authentic, genuine article lasagna, you need Mario Batali, Giada de Laurentiis or someone without my dead giveaway surname ethnicity…for really important Italian cooking.
And really important Italian cooking is an art. Spinach may possibly be involved in a great lasagna (which is wonderful) – basil, rosemary, onion, garlic, and other state secrets make one superb. There are ordinary people walking around with lasagna state secrets and they do have diplomatic immunity.. Find one with a sense of generosity if you're looking for something extraordinary,something that makes you think of Leonardo da Vinci (he was Italian and could probably cook!)
This is not that recipe.
This recipe is down-and-dirty, basic lasagna that is perfect for very little kids. Invite all the four year olds you know and a magician.
Baked Lasagna
18 slices of lasagna noodles
4 lbs . ground beef, ground round
2 lbs . mozzarella cheese diced
a lb. container ricotta cheese
4 jars 1 lb . each:
• Progresso or Prego type Marinara Sauce
• 4 cans of regular Tomato sauce
• 1 can tomato paste
Parmigiana cheese in shaker
Season meat with garlic powder, pepper, salt, oregano and sauté. When brown, add sauces and paste. Wait for MANY bubbles to start to emerge. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Boil lasagna noodles in rapidly boiling salted water for 10-12 min. then drain. Pour a layer of sauce and meat over the bottom of a arge baking dish. Cover with layer of lasagna noodles about 3 strips across and down. Now spoon on mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese over next layer. lasagna. Sprinkle parmigiana cheese on then add sauce. Arrange for 5 or 6 layers. Continue to alternate meat and sauce with ricotta and mozzarella until you run out of ingredients! Add sauce to top layer and sprinkle with parmigiana. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for forty minutes.
