Well worth the effort.

Tomato Sauce

5 Roma tomatoes (skinned)*
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
1 can of tomato sauce

• (To skin a tomato cut an X on the top and bottom of the tomato, drop in boiling water until the skin starts to come off, rinse in cold water and pull off skin, chop tomatoes)

In a large cast iron skillet sauté tomato paste in oil, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook on low for 2 hours. Periodically mash the tomatoes with a potato masher. After an hour of cooking when the water from the tomatoes has evaporated, mash the pulp again add ½ cup of red wine. Later add the can of tomato sauce and flavored olive oil and warm a little on low then cool.

In a small food processor chop:
½ onions
4 garlic cloves
1 TBSP fresh oregano
1 TBSP fresh basil
1 TBSP fresh mint

Or you can use a hand immersion blender and blender everything in the pot.

Pasta

In a food processor, several pulses don’t over work:
2 cups of flour
Pinch of salt
3 eggs
Add olive oil while pulsing

Knead the dough. Cut into six quarters, run through a pasta machine on setting 2, then 4, then setting 6. This will yield 6 pasta pieces.  Cut the pieces in half. Boil in water 1 minute. Remove and set aside.  You might not need all this pasta but it better to cook more so you are not short. Boil pasta then remove and place in a large bowl of cold water until ready to use.

Eggplant

Slice the eggplant ¼ inch – 6 pieces. In a baking sheet paint olive oil on both sides and cook in a 350ᵒ oven for 10 minutes.

Meat

Italian Sausage Meat
½ Lbs. round pork
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (herbs)
1 TBSP olive oil

Mix all by hand and set aside in the frig until use.

Meat
½ Lbs. Ground beef and the Italian Sausage Meat. Mix together in a large pan, add the oil and lightly brown the meat. Set aside.

Ricotta

1 egg, beaten
1 lb ricotta cheese
4 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
¼ cup freshly grated Reggiano-Parmigiano
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl mix all ingredients.

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In a 2 ½ quart Corning Ware casserole dish layer as follows:

1st Layer – sauce, then pasta (Use ladle and add a little sauce)
2nd Layer – sauce, ricotta cheeses mix, pasta
3rd Layer – sauce, eggplant, pasta
4th Layer – sauce, meat mix, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese

In a 375° oven bake Lasagna 30 minutes, remove cover bake another 30 minutes, remove and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

As of 8/20/23