Old Favourite Lasagna

Ingredients

8 oz lasagna noodles (about 12)
1 package (300g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Meat Filling:
8 oz (250g) Italian sausage
8 oz (250g) ground beef
1 each onion, carrot and stalk celery chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ each dried oregano and basil
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch hot pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz/796ml) tomatoes, chopped
1 can (14 oz/398ml) tomato sauce

Cheese Filling:
2 eggs
¼ each pepper and nutmeg
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
  1. Meat Filling: Remove sausage from casings.  In Dutch oven, cook sausage and beef over medium high heat, breaking up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until no longer pink, transfer to plate.  Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon fat.  Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper flakes to pan; cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and meat; bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 25 minutes or until thickened.
  2. Cheese filling:  Meanwhile, in bowl, beat together eggs, pepper and nutmeg.  Blend in cottage, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.
  3. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for 6 to 8 minutes or until almost tender.  Transfer to cold water.  Drain and arrange in single layer between damp tea towels.  Spread 1 cup of the meat filling in 13 x 9 inch (3L) glass baking dish.  Top with one third of the noodles; spread with one third of the remaining meat filling, then half of the cheese filling and half of the spinach.  Starting with noodles, repeat layers once.
  4. Top with remaining noodles; spread with remaining meat filling.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Cover loosely with foil; bake in 375°F oven for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Lechasseur
Canadian Living
Comfort food