Hearty Meat Lasagna

This hearty lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month prior to baking. I can't ever seem to wait that long and bake it the same day reducing the covered baking time to 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
salt and pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 28-oz can tomato puree
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 pounds whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 3 cups)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 flat no-boil noodles
1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

• Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened but not browned. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in meat, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in cream, bring to simmer and cook until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato puree and drained tomatoes. Bring to simmer and cook about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
• Stir ricotta, Parmesan, basil, egg, salt and pepper together in medium bowl, set aside.
• Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 9" x 13" baking dish, avoiding large chunks of meat. Place 3 noodles in single layer on top of sauce. spread 1/3 cup ricotta mixture over noodles, then sprinkle layer with 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon 1 cup sauce evenly over cheeses. Repeat layers twice more. Place remaining 3 noodles on top, cover with remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Wrap with plastic wrap and foil; refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. (Thaw frozen lasagna 24 hour in refrigerator before baking)
• To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover lasagna tightly with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes if fresh, 30-40 if refrigerated. Remove foil and bake until cheese is browned in spots, 25-30 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Servings: 8