Italian Lasagne
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INGREDIENTS MEAT BALLS
1/2 loaf stale French bread
1 clove garlic
Parsley
4 eggs
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beefSoak 1/2 loaf stale French bread in water. Squeeze out the water thoroughly. Add 1 clove garlic, minced very fine, finely chopped parsley, 4 whole eggs, and 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef. Mix together very thoroughly in a large bowl.
Make tiny meat balls, about the size of a fingernail, the smaller the better. Place on greased platters until ready for use.
SAUCE
3 pounds tomatoes or 1 large can
1 teaspoon sugar, or more if desired
1/2 onion
1 cup olive oil
2 cans tomato paste
1 teaspoon saltCut up 3 pounds tomatoes (or 1 large can) into small pieces and stew with 1 teaspoon sugar until completely done.
Sauté 1/2 onion in 1 cup olive oil. Remove onion when almost black. Fry meat balls in the onion-flavored olive oil. Remove to large saucepan.
Add 2 cans tomato paste to the olive oil in the skillet, stir until smooth. Then place the stewed tomatoes in a sieve, and work them through the sieve into the skillet. Cook thoroughly.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and pour the sauce into the saucepan over the meat balls. Cook slowly for 1 hour, adding water if the sauce thickens.
THE LASAGNE AND COMBINING
2 pounds lasagne noodles
1 pound Mozzarella cheese
1 pound Ricotta cheese
1/2 pound freshly grated Parmesan cheeseBoil salted water in a large pan. Cook 2 pounds lasagne noodles for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. During the boiling process, if necessary, add a little boiling water to keep the noodles from sticking. Drain when done.
Pour some sauce into a large roasting pan. Then make layers: - sauce without meat balls, strips of lasagna, Mozzarella cheese, Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, grated, sauce with meat balls distributed evenly. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. As soon as the dish comes out of the oven, serve immediately.
Makes 12 servings
NOTE: Practically all the ingredients for this recipe will have to be secured at an Italian grocery store. Find one! It's worth it!