Lasagna with Meat Sauce

• Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole or lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray.

For the Sauce

• In a large Dutch oven set over medium heat, cook the beef and sausage until no pink remains. Strain the cooked meat and set it aside in a separate bowl for later.
  2 pounds ground chuck, 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• Return the Dutch oven to the stovetop and heat the oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and has softened. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
• Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low.
  28 ounces San Marzano crushed tomatoes, 30 ounces tomato puree
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar and hot water – stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the sugar water to the tomato mixture and stir well.
  1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¼ cup hot water
• Add salt, black pepper, parsley, oregano and basil. Stir well.
  2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• Add the cooked meat mixture and cook 15 minutes or until sauce is hot and has thickened a little.

For the Cheese and Pasta

• In a medium bowl, whisk together Ricotta, egg, basil, salt, pepper, and ½ cup Parmesan.
  15 ounces Ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Assembly

• Pour ¼ cup meat sauce into the prepared baking dish and spread it over the entire bottom surface.
• Place 3-3½ noodles, side-by-side, across the top of the sauce and slightly press the noodles into the sauce.
  9 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles
• Place 1-teaspoon-dollops, about 2 inches apart, of the Ricotta mixture over the noodles.
• Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese evenly over the Ricotta layer.
  1 pound whole milk Mozzarella cheese
• Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the Mozzarella layer.
• Pour 1½ cups sauce evenly over the Parmesan layer.
• Repeat the process, beginning with the noodle layer, 2 more times.
• For the top layer, place 3 noodles on top, spread with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
• Spray a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to cover the lasagna) with nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
• Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, then remove the foil. Continue cooking the lasagna 30-45 minutes or until the cheese is toasty brown in spots and the lasagna is bubbling and gorgeous.
• Transfer lasagna to a cooling rack and cool 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.