I have been meaning to put up this recipe for my Classic Lasagne for ever so long.It’s summer at it’s warmest and sunniest best here in Mumbai at the moment.While this is way too heavy a meal for dinner at the moment, it is still a family favourite and my recipe for a Classic lasagna. I agree the task is quite a laborious one but very worth the effort of slaving over it. The result is a creamy, moist and delicious baked dish. While a lot of recipes do not use  Ricotta cheese and egg mixture, I personally feel this gives the Lasagne a great creamy and moist texture and makes for a delicious baked dish.

You could make up the filling a day ahead and that would save a lot of time indeed. Served with a side of a garden fresh salad and a some nice warm herbed bread, this works great for weeknight dinners and while entertaining as well.

Hope you enjoy making this.

Bon Apetite!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg lean mince (goat or lamb)
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500 ml fresh tomato puree
• 2 packets  tomato paste
• 1 pack tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 250 grams ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 300 grams mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Drizzle some oil in a skillet and add the onions and garlic a and salute for a bit. Next add in the ground meat and cook till well browned.. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. 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. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven 190 degrees C
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 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.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.