I have been making lasagna for a long time the traditional way, layers of sauce, ricotta/egg mixture, cheese, and usually mushroom, but I thought I'd try something different and it paid off. This lasagna is really dense and holds together well.
1-2 packets of oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion
1 small (6oz?) can tomato paste
1 large (22oz?) can tomato puree or tomato sauce
1-2 tspn oregano
1-2 tspn basil
1 tspn salt
1 tspn sugar
2 cups half/half or cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
Brown meat and onion in 2 quart sauce pan. Add in tomato paste and herbs. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and sugar. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off burner.
Place 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of lasagna pan, spread evenly, and top with layer of noodles. Top with 1/2 cup of sauce and 1/2 cup cheese, make sure that sauce is always uniform. Top with noodles and 1/2 cup sauce. Add mushrooms. Top with pasta and sauce and then add half/half over top - it may pool up around the pasta, that's a good thing. Top with noodles, sauce and remaining cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake in 375 oven for 1 hour. Check pasta by sticking a knife through the lasagna. If pasta is done, take off tin foil and bake for 15 minutes longer to brown cheese. Enjoy!!!
