MAC & CHEESE

MAC & CHEESE

RECIPE

MAC & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

  • ¾ pound lean ground beef

  • ½ cup minced onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

  • 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce

  • 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

  • ½ cup water

  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves

  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 12 lasagna noodles

  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese

  • 1 egg

  • ¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Gather all your ingredients.

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  1. Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well browned.

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  2. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Season with sugar, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

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  3. 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.

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  4. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

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  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  6. To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 ½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

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  7. 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.

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  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

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  9. Rest lasagna for 15 minutes before serving.