Ben Danzo's Lasagna

Sauce:

• 1 can (28 oz.) Progresso tomatoes
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 12 oz. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. oregano
• 1 Tbsp. basil
• 2 tsp. rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 8 oz. pepperoni, sliced

For the sauce, add the tomatoes to a large sauce pan; smash with a wooden spoon. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and 4 tomato sauce cans of water. Stir until all the tomato paste is dissolved. Add oregano, basil, rosemary, garlic, pepper, salt, sugar and bay leaves. Let simmer.

Sauté the diced onions and green pepper in olive oil until onions are golden. Add to the sauce mixture. Brown the ground beef in the skillet, drain and add to the sauce. Cook the sliced pepperoni in the skillet until most of the fat is cooked out and add both to the sauce mixture. Simmer the sauce for 3 to 4 hours, stirring frequently and adding water if it gets to thick.

Lasagna:

• 15 lasagna noodles
• 8 oz. ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. cottage cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tbs. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 lbs. mozzarella cheese, grated
• 6 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the lasagna noodles 5 minutes less than the directions suggest. Spray a large (11" x 17") pyrex baking dish with cooking spray. Mix the ricotta cheese with the cottage cheese, eggs, salt and parsley.

Cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of sauce. Add a layer of noodles, a layer of the ricotta mixture, and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Cover with sauce, then sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers twice.

Bake at 350° F for about one hour. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Note: this recipe fills an 11" x 17" x 2-1/2" baking dish nearly to the top. Be sure to place aluminum foil or a cookie sheet below the baking dish in the oven to catch any lasagna that bubbles out.