Have you ever heard of it described this way?

No?

Ah.  Well then, you will need to experience its silkiness firsthand.

Let the savory adventure begin!

 

****Preheat the oven to 350 degrees****

THE MEAT SAUCE:

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add in 1 small yellow onion, diced,

and 2 garlic cloves, minced.  Stir and cook until onion begins to become translucent and your house smells like Italy, about 5 minutes.

Stir in two 16-ounce cans (or 1 28 oz can is fine) of whole, peeled tomatoes,

a 6-ounce can of tomato paste,

1 tablespoon sugar,

and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt.  Stir together.

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, till sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

While your pasta sauce is resting, pot on a large pot of very salted (as in as salty as the sea) water to boil for the lasagna noodles.

Cook until barely al dente, as they will keep cooking when in the oven!  Drain.

 

In the meantime, you will need to chiffonade 2 tablespoons of a basil, (which basically means slicing basil into ribbons…super-easy…let me show you how it’s done!)

Take a bunch of basil leaves,

roll them up tightly into a little log,

and slice into thin ribbons…that’s it!

After the 20 minutes is up, puree the sauce in a food processor.  Return to saucepan.

Add ribbons of basil to your tomato sauce in the saucepan, stir and set aside.  It’ll be introduced to the meat momentarily, and ohhhhhh, will they ever get along well!

 

Brown meat in a large skillet, over medium heat.  Drain excess fat.

Add 1 clove minced garlic and 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled in your hand to release the flavor, to the meat.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and

1/2 cup dry red wine (Please, please use a wine that you would drink yourself, not a “cooking wine”.  It’ll make all the difference and you can do like Julia Child and have a little glass as you cook!) and cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until all of the alcohol has been cooked off.

Stir in the reserved pasta sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

THE CHEESY FILLING:

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, with 2 eggs,

a 15-16 ounce container of Ricotta cheese,

 

a heaping 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,

and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.

Mix together thoroughly.

 

THE ASSEMBLY:

On the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, spread 1/2 of the meat mixture.

Top with half of the lasagna noodles.

Spread 1/2 of cheesy mixture on top of the noodles and

sprinkle with half of the 4 cups (1 pound) of mozzarella which you’ve shredded.

Repeat the layers, starting again with the meat sauce,

and ending with the remainder of the beautifully shredded mozzarella.

Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes, till bubbly.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Just so you know, as mind-blowing as this will be the first night that you serve it, it will only get more delicious with each passing day!

Bon Appétit, Ma Chérie!