Mamma Mormoni's Lasagne

This is the lasagne to win friends and influence people! I tend to bring it to potlucks or office parties. I’m not exactly sure how many jobs I owe to my lasagne, but I will tell you that I was invited back to a Christmas party at Amtrak two years after I completed a consulting contract there... with the request that I bring lasagne. In addition, this lasagne has magical properties. For years, whenever I made lasagne, my long-lost brother David (last heard of riding elephants in Thailand) would show up at the door just as the lasagne was coming out of the oven. So be sure to set an extra place.

I don’t list measurements for the spices. Since this is the first recipe on the list you'd better get used to that right now. My own lasagne is mild and has a definite flavor of herbs and garlic. You can make is spicier (hotter) if you like. A simple way to do this is to use spicy sausage meat. For a milder lasagne, use all hamburger.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. sausage meat (mild or spicy)
1/4 lb sliced cooked mushrooms (if desired)
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs
4 cups shredded mozzerella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese
2 BIG cans tomato puree
1 can tomato paste
2 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
Basil, Oregano, Salt, Pepper, Thyme
1 pkg. lasagne noodles (12)

PROCEDURE:

• Cook the noodles with a touch of oil and set in cool water.
• Cook the garlic and mushrooms for three or four minutes in a teaspoon or so of olive oil.

Brown the beef and sausage and drain off fat. Add tomato paste and stir. Then add puree and spices. Stir and cook until bubbly. (The longer you let this simmer the better the flavor, but keep the heat very low.)

• Beat the eggs into the ricotta until completely mixed and slightly fluffy.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and place a little in the bottom of a 9 x 13 metal pan. Then place 3 noodles in the pan. Cover with another thin layer of sauce. Spoon the ricotta mixture into about 15 little lumps and shake grated cheese over all.
• Repeat using half the mozzerella and no ricotta or grated cheese. Then repeat again with the last of the grated cheese. Put a little sauce over the last noodles and then cover with last half of the mozzerella.
• Bake at 350^o for 45 minutes until cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven and let set (at least) 10 minutes before serving.
• Tell someone else to wash the dishes since you did all the hard stuff.
• Hi, David!.

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