Lasagna

Ingredients (serves 12)
For Meat Sauce:
2 tbs. olive oil
1 med. yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 # Italian sausage
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 24oz jars Barilla tomato and basil sauce
 2 tbs. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

For Bechamel sauce:
2 cups whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2 (heated, not boiled)
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

For ricotta mixture:
2 eggs
1 15 oz container whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For assembly
1 tbs olive oil
1 package barilla no bake lasagna noodles
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 oz grated mozzarella
1 1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped

Preparation
1.  Make Bechamel sauce.  In sauce pan, barely melt butter and remove from heat.  Whisk in flour.  Return to medium heat and gradually whisk in 1/2 and 1/2.  Continue to cook at low boil, stirring frequently, for approx 3 minutes until sauce thickens.  Add salt and set aside.

2.  Make Meat sauce.  Add t 2bs olive oil to large skillet or Dutch oven.  Add onion and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to soften but not brown.  Add sausage and break up into small pieces.  Cook till meat loses its pink color but not browned.  Push meat to sides and add minced garlic to middle with a tad of olive oil.  Cook till fragrant, approx. 1 minute.  Stir all together.  Add heavy cream, stir.  Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.  Bring to simmer for 5 or 10 minutes.  Set aside.

3.  Make Ricotta mixture.  In large mixing bowl, whisk 2 eggs.  Add ricotta cheese and blend together.  Add Parmesan cheese and nutmeg and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

4.  To assemble:  Lightly oil a 9 x 13 x 3 inch non aluminum dish.  Spread a thin layer of bechamel sauce topped with a thin layer of meat sauce on bottom.  Place on top 4 sheets lasagna.  Add 1/4 in. bechamel sauce, then 1 to 1 1/2 cups meat sauce, then 1 cup mozzarella, topped with 3/4 cup basil.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add 1/2 in ricotta mixture, then 1 cup meat sauce.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add 1/2 in ricotta mixture, then 1 cup meat sauce.  Place on top of this 4 more sheets lasagna.  Add remaining ricotta mixture and Bechamel sauce topped with 1 to 1/12 cups meat sauce.  (Make sure you have at least 1 cup meat sauce remaining for last layer.  Add remaining basil.  Place on top of this last 4 sheets lasagna.  Add remaining meat sauce, Parmesan cheese, remaining mozzarella.

5.  Preheat oven to 375 deg.  Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with olive oil and place oiled side down covering lasagna.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes until bubbly.  Uncover and continue to bake 8 or so more minutes until cheese is well melted (Let stand 15 minutes before serving).  (I would have put a piece of aluminum foil under the pan to catch the part that boils over!  Or even just a rimmed cookie sheet.)