Lasagna Squisito (Exquisite Lasagna!)

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey or ground beef (or meatball mix)
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 2 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (more if you like)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small onion, finely diced or onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• italian seasoning
• oregano
• garlic salt
• olive oil
• black pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Brown ground turkey (or other meat) in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoons of olive oil, the onion and as much minced garlic as you like. Add a good dusting of Italian seasoning and black pepper as you cook.

2. 2

   Drain the meat mixture, then add the tomato sauce and season to taste with Italian seasoning, additional oregano, 1/2 C of parmesan cheese and black pepper. Mix in the sugar as you do this to cut the "bite" of the tomato sauce--you won't taste it.

3. 3

   Heat sauce mixture just to bubbling over medium heat, then set aside.

4. 4

   Fill a long casserole dish with cold water.

5. 5

   Bring a saucepan of water with a teaspoons of garlic salt and a dash of olive oil to a rolling boil, then carefully add your noodles one at a time, doing your best to keep them from sticking together while they boil Boil until al dente, still a bit firm--just shy of the cooking directions on the package, I find.

6. 6

   As you remove each noodle, place it in the casserole dish of cold water. Remove each noodle from the cold water bath and set aside on a dish.

7. 7

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease your casserole dish/lasagna pan.

8. 8

   In a medium-sized bowl, mix the ricotta, the eggs, 2/3 of the parmesan and 1/2 of the mozarella--I find it is easiest to do this by hand. Add a couple of teaspoons Italian seasoning, just enough to be mixed throughout the resulting cheese paste.

9. 9

   Spread a thin layer of cheese paste on the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of noodles, followed by layers of meat sauce, mozzarella, noodles, cheese paste and meat sauce (and so on, repeating) in that order. Finish with noodles on top, spread with the last of the cheese paste, then cover with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top of that.

10. 10

    Bake uncovered until lasagna is bubbling and the top has browned, then remove from the oven and let sit for five minutes or so before cutting and serving. Enjoy!