- 2 lbs ground beef (normal)
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 5 cloves crushed or diced garlic
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons parsley
- 12 lasagna noodles (at least; check fit in pan)
- 15-16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lbs mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
- In a covered sauté pan, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water.
- Season with sugar, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 of the 4 tablespoons parsley.
- Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (every 10-15 minutes).
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.