Homemade Lasagna

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Total Time1 20

Servings:

Author: Constance Smith - Cosmopolitan Cornbread

Ingredients

1 lb lasagna noodles
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon thyme
1 ½ teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon basil
¼ c butter
1 onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ c flour
2 c whole milk
15 oz tomato sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tb tomato paste
1 Tb olive oil
1 ½ c ricotta cheese
3 c mozzarella

Instructions

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you are using traditional cook-ahead noodles, begin cooking them first. When they are al dente, drain them and gently toss them with some olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
In a skillet, brown the ground beef. When it is cooked through, drain off any excess drippings and set it aside. Measure out oregano, thyme, and basil. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Toss in the onion and garlic. Cook these until tender and translucent.
Whisk in the flour. Whisk in the whole milk.
Cook this over medium low heat, stirring continually. When this comes to a gentle boil and is thickened, turn off the heat.
To the white sauce, add the tomato sauce, the herbs, the salt & ground black pepper, and the tomato paste.
Whisk these together until combined.
Brush the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with a little olive oil.
Ladle in a third of the sauce and spread it around the bottom.
Place a layer of noodles on the sauce. These noodles are the kind that do not have to be cooked ahead of time. They are convenient and easy to handle. You just break a couple to fit the pan. Honestly, I think I prefer the traditional cook-ahead kind though. They just seem to have a better texture. Could be my imagination….but you can choose for yourself.
On top of the first layer of noodles, spread the ricotta cheese.
Add your second layer of noodles.
Next, add your ground beef topped with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
On top of the cheese, ladle half of your remaining sauce.
Finally, add your third layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and remaining mozzarella.
Bake this uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the top begins to get beautiful and golden, and browned around the edges.
Allow it to rest on the counter for about 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

See This Recipe:

https://cosmopolitancornbread.com/traditional-lasagna/

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