Lasagna

I wanted to try a recipe where you don't pre-cook the noodles.  Barilla has a flat lasagna noodle that you don't have to pre-boil.  The only thing I found was that it doesn't layer as nicely as cooked noodles because it is hard.  If you are trying to lay the noodles in layers and want to break one of the noodles in half for a good fit it doesn't work like it does when its pre-boiled.  


I cooked 2 lbs of Italian sausage for this recipe and used half for the lasagna and put half in the refrigerator to use tonight in homemade egg rolls.  While my lasagna was cooking I also cooked all my vegetables for egg rolls and mixed with the meat so when i got home from work tonight dinner was fast and easy.  I served the egg rolls with fresh zucchini and strawberries to lighten the fried egg rolls.  


Everyone here liked the lasagna and we had plenty for the next day for lunch and for Uncle Michael for two meals.  Served it with salad and garlic bread.    


1 (9oz) box of Barilla no-boil noodles
2 eggs
1 (15oz) container of ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef or sausage, browned (or a combination)
Mushrooms
Onions
Spinach 
Spaghetti or Pasta sauce (~2 jars worth) (I used some of my homemade marinara sauce)


Preheat oven to 375. 


In a bowl beat eggs, add ricotta cheese and two cups of the mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.  Set aside.    


Brown the meat.  Before the meat was finished cooking, I added onions, rough chopped mushrooms and then fresh spinach.  


Lightly spray a 13x9 pan.  Spread about 1 cup (or about 1/2 jar) of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Layer the uncooked noodles on top (~4), then 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and about 1 cup of sauce. 


Next layer about 4 uncooked noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and about 1 cup of sauce.  Do the same again if you have a higher pan, if you have a 2 inch high pan you may only have room for 3 layers.  For the top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining sauce and remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.

Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes and then uncover and bake until all the cheese is melted on top about 5 more minutes.  I would say to bake covered less and uncovered longer.  I prefer mine a little crispy and brown on top.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  


Note: The lasagna will hold up better if you switch the direction of the noodles for every layer.  Example: if you do the bottom layer of noodles horizontally, do the next layer of noodles vertically.