LASAGNE WITH BASIL AND FENNEL

LASAGNE WITH BASIL AND FENNEL image

Categories Pasta

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ready in: 1-2 hrs
Difficulty: 3
(1=easiest :: hardest=5)
Categories:
Vegetable Lasagna Recipes
Ingredients:
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese; grated
3/4 container ricotta cheese (15 oz size)
3/4 large egg
1 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onions
1 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1/8 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 packets (1.5 oz size) spaghetti sauce seasoning with mushroom flavors
3/4 can crushed tomatoes with added puree; (28 oz size)
3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
3/8 cup dry white wine
Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste
6 3/4 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds; saute 5 minutes. Add beef; saute 10 minutes, breaking up meat with fork. Mix in seasoning, then tomatoes, broth and wine. Cover and simmer 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper. Spoon 1 1/3 cups sauce over bottom of 13x9x2" glass baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over. Top with half of basil leaves, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue layering with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Finish with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (reserve remaining sauce for another use). Cover with foil; place on baking sheet. Bake lasagna until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; let stand 15 minutes. Cut lasagna into squares. This recipe for Lasagna With Basil And Fennel serves/makes 6.