Lasagna Supremo

This truly is a very good lasagna. It is loaded with good things. I picked up the recipe somewhere in cyber-land, and I get  many, many compliments whenever I serve it. I think you'll like it too.

MARINARA SAUCE:

2  (14-1/2 ounce)  cans HUNTS brand chunky crushed tomatoes (use only Hunts) 

2  (6 ounce)  cans HUNTS tomato paste 

1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil 

6  cloves  garlic (cut in halves) 

1  teaspoon  chopped garlic, in juice (from jar) 

1  shallot (diced) 

2  tablespoons  dried oregano 

4  tablespoons  dried Italian seasoning 

1  teaspoon  dried basil 

1-1/2  tablespoons  granulated sugar

1  small  or  med jar  Prego pasta sauce

Empty Hunts chunky crushed tomatoes and Hunts tomato paste into the pot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pot. Slice the cloves of garlic crosswise into either halves or thirds or pieces, and dump them into the pot. Dice the shallot, and dump that into the pot.

Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir to mix well with a large long handled wooden spoon. Do not strain, as the pulp adds to make this a thick and wonderful sauce.

Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring every 10 minutes for about an hour or until it bubbles and is completely heated throughout. Reduce heat to simmer, and continue to simmer, stirring every 10 or 15 minutes to keep from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot for 1 or 2 hours. Add a little water, if necessary. Remove from heat, giving it one last stir.

Serve over spaghetti, ravioli, pasta or use for chicken Parmesan, veal Parmesan, or anything that calls for a Marinara sauce.

NOTE: Use only Hunts Chunky Crushed Tomatoes and Hunts Tomato Paste.

FOR THE LASAGNA:

1  (1 lb)  package lasagna noodles 

3/4  lb  ground beef 

1/4  lb  ground pork 

1  lb  Italian sausage (thinly sliced)
1  cup  onions (chopped)   

6  cloves  garlic (minced) 

2  tsp  sugar 

1  tsp  salt 

1  tsp  dried basil 

1/2   tsp  fennel seeds 

1/4  tsp  ground black pepper 

2  eggs (lightly beaten) 

2  (15 ounce)  containers  ricotta cheese 

2  Tbs  dried parsley flakes

1  cup  pitted ripe black olives (sliced)

1  lb  button mushrooms (thinly sliced), sauteed in  2 Tbs  butter

1  lb  mozzarella cheese (shredded) 

1  cup  Parmesan cheese (grated) 

Prepare lasagna according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Cook Italian sausage, either in a skillet or by boiling in a pot of water, thinly slice crosswise and set aside.  Brown the ground beef and ground pork in a skillet, drain off and discard fat.

Add onion and garlic to the ground meat, stir and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the sugar, salt, basil, fennel seeds, pepper and the Marinara sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the above mixture is simmering, combine in a large bowl the eggs, Ricotta cheese, and parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a deep-sided baking pan, spoon in a layer of 1/3 of the meat sauce.

Then layer 4 of the lasagna noodles (overlapping each strip of pasta with the other).

Then layer 1/3 of the Ricotta mixture.

Then layer 1/3 of the sliced olives and 1/3 of the sliced Italian sausage.

Then layer 1/3 of the sliced mushrooms.

Then layer 1/3 of the Mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan.

Then continue to repeat the layering until all of the ingredients are layered, ending with a layer of noodles.

I like to lay on about six slices of Provolone cheese on the top of the lasagna, followed by the last 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Alternately, you can save a little of the sauce and spread that over the noodles before topping with the Parmesan.

When the layering is completed, cover with aluminum foil, making certain that the foil is not touching the top of the lasagna, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, another 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to sit and rest 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.