How to Make Deep Dish Lasagna

I LOVE a deep lasagna! How about you?

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 2 Packages Lasagna (you won't need all of it, but you can use the variation on the bottom for the rest)
• 2 Lbs. Chopped Meat
• Olive Oil
• 9 Cups Spaghetti Sauce (see my article linked below.. How To Make The Ultimate Sauce)
• 2 Eggs
• 8 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
• 2 Lbs. Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Cup Grated Cheese
• Parsley
• Oregano

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
   
   Brown chopped meat in olive oil, drain and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup grated cheese, 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella, parsley & oregano to taste, and set aside.
   
   Boil a pot of water, and then soak the lasagna noodles in the boiled water just until they are pliable. With this method they don't cook enough to get too wide for the pan. Drain the water and drape the lasagna noodles over the lip of the pot.
3. Add 1 cup or so of sauce to the bottom of a deep 13 x 9 pan, and then layer with 3 pieces of lasagna length wise, and 2 pieces on top of that in between the pieces to fill in the gaps. (if needed add a strip width wise at the edge of the pan so that the WHOLE bottom of the pan is covered with lasagna noodles)
   
   Now comes the fun part, the layers, on top of the lasagna noodles, start to layer with SOME sauce, the ricotta mixture, mozzarella, chopped meat, & grated cheese. (If you made a meat sauce, you can eliminate the chopped meat layer since you have chopped meat in the sauce)
4. On the top layer of noodles, (I like to double the top layer with noodles as I do with the bottom for more stability) add a lot of sauce, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley, cover and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1/2 hour, uncover, and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
   
   Remove from oven and let stand 1/2 hr to 45 minutes before serving to set.

Tips & Warnings

• VARIATION:
• Instead of in a pan, you can also make individual servings by making lasagna rolls!
• Layer the bottom of the pan with sauce, on a plate,
• lay out a lasagna noodle,
• add 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture lined up next to each other towards the middle of the noodle,
• then add 3 table spoons of the chopped meat on top of that,
• sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, and grated cheese,
• top with some sauce, and carefully roll, place in pan,
• seal with a toothpick.
• When you have filled the pan with the rolls,
• add sauce to the top of each roll,
• sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, grated cheese & parsley,
• and as in the above traditional lasagna, cover and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1/2 hour,
• uncover, and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand 1/2hr to 45 minutes before serving to set.