Barefoot Contessa Lasagna

(with some modifications – this recipe can also be used for bolognese)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 onions, chopped*

3 garlic cloves, minced*

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (or loose if you can find – much easier)

1 pound ground beef

One- 1.5 28-ounce can(s) crushed tomatoes in tomato puree**

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (you can omit for ease/cost)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling (freshly grate this, pre-grated cheese is tossed with a powder to keep it from sticking together and it messes with your final product)

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

*Use food processor

**depends on the consistency you desire for your sauce. Thicker may work better for lasagna, thinner may work better if you plan to use this recipe to make bolognese

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and ground beef and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened. 
3. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain. (you can also get lasagna noodles that say “no boil” and skip this step.)
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. 
5. Ladle 1/4 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and one 1/4 of the sauce. Continue until your ingredients are gone. You should have 3 layers of noodles. It isn’t an exact science, you just have to eyeball it. I like to spread the ricotta onto the lasagna noodles individually and then place them down in a layer instead of trying to spread the ricotta over the layer in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan and more mozzerella cheese, either fresh or grated (you can use pre-grated cheese for the top). Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.