Ricotta Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat.

Place ground beef in the pot and saute until well browned.

Remove beef from pot to a colander inside a bowl and allow excess fat to drain.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add 1 Tablespoon of drained beef fat back into the pot.

Saute onion until softened, 5-7 minutes.

Saute garlic until aromatic, 2-3 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes.

Add beef back to the pot and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

While sauce cooks and cools, place ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and place in a piping bag.

Ladle about 1/4 cup of meat sauce into the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish. This will keep the pasta from sticking and also establish a nice base for the lasagna.

Place 3 sheets of the oven-ready lasagna noodles across the pan, on top of the sauce.

Cover pasta with a thin layer of meat sauce.

Pipe ricotta mixture over the meat sauce.

Top ricotta with about 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella and top with 3 more sheets of pasta.

Repeat layering process until the pan is almost full to the top, 3-5 layers and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cover pan with foil and bake 60 minutes until cheese is hot and bubbling and pasta is tender.

Set oven to broil. Uncover lasagna and broil until top is browned and crispy.

Let lasagna rest 10 minutes to set up. Cut into entrée sized squares and serve.