We know lasagna is not a Southern dish, but this recipe from Joanna Lewis, one of the servers at Blue Willow Inn, is one of Billie’s favorite dishes. Joanna bakes lasagna for Billie on her birthday, for Christmas, and for Boss’s Day. This is a wonderful dish.
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 (12-ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (12-ounce) can tomato purée
5 cups water
3 teaspoons dried sweet basil, or 3 fresh sweet basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ plus 2 teaspoons black pepper
1½ pounds ground beef
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 (8-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 (16-ounce) packages ricotta cheese
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked for 8 to 10 minutes, divided
2 (12-ounce) packages grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (16-ounce) container cottage cheese, divided
In a large Dutch oven on medium heat brown the garlic in the olive oil. Add the tomato paste and tomato purée. Stir. Add the water, sweet basil, oregano, parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt, and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper. In a skillet on medium heat sauté the ground beef and sausage until partially cooked. Pour off the grease. Add the meat and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Mix well. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours or until the sauce is thick. In a bowl mix the ricotta cheese, parsley, and the remaining 2 teaspoons black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a 9 × 13-inch baking pan spoon enough of the sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Put a layer of lasagna noodles lengthwise on top of the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spread more sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle some of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Spoon some ricotta mixture and some cottage cheese over the mozzarella. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. Arrange the next layer of lasagna noodles across the width of the pan. Repeat the order of sauce and cheeses. This should make three or four layers of lasagna in the baking dish. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Allow the lasagna to cool for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
YIELD: 10 TO 12 SERVINGS