Italian Sauce/Lasagne

By Nalli

Diane (from New Jersey) lived across from us in Kansas City, Kansas in 1964. I followed her around the kitchen to get the ingredients and details of her sauce recipe and have used it ever since!

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 large can plum tomatoes
• 1 large can puree
• 1 large can paste + 1/2 can water
• Add:
• oregano
• minced garlic
• basil
• rosemary
• bay leaves
• thyme
• sage
• salt and pepper
• crushed cayenne
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 sweet red pepper chopped
• Meat balls:
• 2 lbs. ground meat (beef, turkey, venison)
• 2 eggs
• Parmesan cheese
• bread crumbs
• Italian seasoning
• Sausage:
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs Italian sausage - pork or poultry
• Ricotta filling:
• 2 12 oz. cartons ricotta
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 2 Tbl. chopped parsley
• 1/2 C. grated Parmesan
• Mozarella:
• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs.
• Noodles:
• 1 package lasagne noodles

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Saute garlic, onion, sweet pepper together. Place all other ingredients in large pot. Add sauted ingredients. Simmer several hours uncovered, stirring frequently.

For meatballs:
Mix well: ground meat, eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs and Italian seasonings. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees 8 - 10 minutes turning once. When cooked, add to sauce.

Sausage:
Cover with water and simmer in frying pan 5 - 8 minutes, drain and fry for 10 - 12 minutes. Slice into 1 inch pieces, add to sauce.

Ricotta Filling
Mix all ingredients together and set aside.
Mozarella:
Slice thin.

Noodles:
Cook lasagne noodles by following directions on package.

Preparation of lasagne:
Layer in large lasagne pan:
1/4 meat sauce
1/3 noodles
1/2 ricotta
1/3 mozarella
1/4 sauce
1/3 noodles
1/2 ricotta
1/3 mozarella
1/4 sauce
1/3 noodles
1/4 sauce
1/3 mozarella
Let set for 1/2 - 1 hour.

Bake at 375 degrees 45 + minutes til hot in the center. Let stand 10 -15 minutes before serving.