Heat oven to 375.
15 ounce ricotta cheese
2-1/2 ounce (1-1/4 cups) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Salt
Mix together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, basil, salt, pepper and egg.
6 cups tomato sauce (see recipe below. This is what gives the lasagna the fresh, new taste)
1 pkg. no boil lasagna noodles
1 pound whole milk soft style mozzarella, shredded (4 cups)
TOMATO SAUCE
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion - minced
6 cloves garlic - minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Sautee onion in hot oil over medium heat until softened (about 5 minutes).
Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add tomatoes and other spices.
Simmer about 15 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened.
ASSEMBLY
Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan
Place 3 noodles on top (here is where you may need more noodles, depending on size of them. The entire layer does not need to be completely covered with noodles. but you don't want to skimp, either.)
Drop 2 or 3 TBSP of ricotta down each noodle, spreading it to make even layer.
Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup mozzarella.
spread 1 1/4 cups of the sauce evenly over the cheese.
Repeat with noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce 2 more times.
For the last layer, put noodles on top of the sauce, put the last of the sauce on top. Sprinkle with with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan.
Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover the lasagna and bake 15 minutes.
Remove foil and bake until the cheese is browned and sauce is bubbling (about 25-30 minutes).
Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
(unbaked, assembled lasagna can be kept in refrigerator up to 24 hours. Let lasagna sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking normally.)
* I fiddled with this recipe by adding:
1 cup cottage cheese to the ricotta
3 links hot Italian sausage cooked crumbled like hamburger added to the sauce
an extra 1/4 pound of mozzarella, and i used conventional, harder mozzarella.
