This recipe from my friend Ray has become my go-to recipe, though it never turns out as well as his. Although the recipe is attributed to someone else in a community cookbook, in my family, it is always known as “Ray’s Lasagna.”
1 pound Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces lasagna noodles
2 beaten eggs
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 ounces fresh mozzarella
Brown the sausage; drain. Add tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, water, basil, garlic and salt to taste. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook noodles as package directs; drain. Combine eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.
In a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan, layer half of the noodles, then half of the cheese mixture, then half of the sauce. Repeat layers. Slice mozzarella and place slices over the top of the lasagna. Bake lasagna at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.
