Lasagna With Basil And Fennel

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 1 pound mozzarella cheese grated
• 1 container ricotta cheese - (15 oz)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 packets spaghetti sauce seasoning with
• mushroom flavors - (1.5 oz ea)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes with added puree (28 oz)
• 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Freshly-ground balck pepper to taste
• 9 no-boil lasagna noodles - (from 8-oz pkg)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves - (packed)

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add beef; sauté 10 minutes, breaking up meat with fork. Mix in seasoning, then tomatoes, broth and wine. Cover and simmer 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper.

Spoon 1 1/3 cups sauce over bottom of 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over. Top with half of basil leaves, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Continue layering with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Finish with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (reserve remaining sauce for another use). Cover with foil; place on baking sheet.

Bake lasagna until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; let stand 15 minutes. Cut lasagna into squares.

This recipe yields 8 servings.