Lasagna

SAUCE:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion 

3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots 

2 tablespoons minced garlic 

8 ounces lean ground beef 6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed 

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree 

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 

1 tablespoon golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf 

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 

LASAGNA:

15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)

2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese 

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) 

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry 

2 large eggs

4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds) 

Preparation:

FOR SAUCE: 

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. 

Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. 

Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. 

Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. 

Discard bay leaf. Cool. 

FOR LASAGNA: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. 

Drain and cover with cold water.

Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. 

Mix in spinach. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Mix in eggs. 

Drain pasta and pat dry. 

Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch glass baking dish. 

Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. 

Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. 

Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. 

Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). 

Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. 

Top layer. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. 

Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. 

(Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) 

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. 

Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. 

Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

Sicilian

Buon Appetito