Belle's Lasagna

Lasagna, wide flat noodles, often with curly edges, can be layered with anything. Various cheeses are used and the cook's choice of sauce can vary greatly, the most common being a tomato sauce, meat sauce, and/or bechamel.

While visiting friends in Florida, we were treated to a delicious fresh seafood lasagna. At a Southern family farm, I was once served lasagna with creamed corn, crowder peas (both picked from the fields that day) and a cornbread muffin. I have cooked and eaten many varieties of lasagna, vegetarian and otherwise, but this is the recipe I always go back to. In our small town, back in the day, ricotta cheese was not available, so we always used whole milk cottage cheese. I still love it prepared this way.

Belle's Lasagna

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 qt. canned tomatoes

2 cups tomato sauce

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. basil

24 oz. whole milk cottage cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente, and well drained

3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cook and stir meat, onions and garlic, until meat is brown and onion is tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/4 cup parsley, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and the basil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Mix together the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp. parsley, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the oregano.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the meat sauce for a thin top layer. In an ungreased baking pan, layer 1/4 each of the noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella, then cottage cheese mixture. Repeat 3 times. Spread the reserved meat sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.