Overnight Lasagna Bolognese

Sauce:

1 lb. beef stew meat

1 C. small-diced onion

1 1/2 C. thinly sliced mushrooms

2 T.  minced garlic

1/4 t. crushed red chile flakes

1/4 t. dry whole leaf rosemary, crushed

1 t. dry whole leaf oregano

1 t. dry leaf basil

1/2 C. red wine

1 C. beef broth

2 cans (6-ounces each) tomato paste

1 can (28-ounces) roma tomatoes in juice

1 t. salt

Assembly:

1 box (1 pound) lasagna noodles, 16 pieces

Olive oil

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

2 T. minced garlic

1 egg

4 C. coarsely grated mozzarella cheese

1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

Place all of the sauce ingredients in a crock pot, cover and set on high. Cook for 8 hours. Stir sauce well, breaking apart meat and incorporating it into sauce. Refrigerate in a shallow pan to cool quickly. (I like to make the sauce in a crock pot the night before the lasagna construction, so the meat has at least 8 hours to simmer. That way it has plenty of time to cook fork-tender and then cool before assembly.)

When ready to assemble the lasagna, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente. Drain, toss carefully with a little olive oil and spread out on a large baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta, 2 tablespoons minced garlic and egg; reserve. Separately, mix mozzarella and Parmesan; reserve.

Pan-spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom. Then assemble in this order, laying out in even layers: 4 pasta noodles, half of ricotta mixture, 4 noodles, half of sauce, half of mozzarella mixture, 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella mixture.

Cover very loosely with a piece of foil, lightly sprayed with pan-spray so the cheese doesn't stick. Bake lasagna for about 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

Let cool slightly, then cut into 8 squares for serving.

8 servings