monicasmeatlasagne

3     tablespoons     oil
1     small              onion, minced
1     medium          carrot, minced
1                          rib celery, minced
1.5 pounds           sweet Italian sausage
3.5 cups               canned crushed tomatoes
1     teaspoon         dried oregano
1     teaspoon         salt
1/2 teaspoon         ground black pepper
18                        dried lasagne noodles
2     cups              ricotta cheese
1/4 cup                warm water
1.25 cups              parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more. Raise the heat to medium-high, squeeze the sausage meat from its casings and use a fork to break it into small pieces. Cook until the meat is browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the lasagne noodles in salted boiling water until almost al dente. Drain, refresh in a bowl of cold water and drain again. Lay the noodles on kitchen towels to soak up excess moisture. Stir the ricotta and warm water until smooth and set the mixture aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Smear several tablesppons of tomato sauce (without large chunks of sausage) across the bottom of the pan. Line the pan with a layer of pasta, making sure that the noodles touch but do not overlap. Use a spatula to cover the pasta with 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce mixture over the ricotta and then sprinkle 3 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat layering of the ricotta, tomato sauce and Parmesan 5 more times.

Bake until the cheese on top turns golden brown in spots and the sauce is bubbling, 20-25 minutes.Remove from the oven, let the lasagne settle for 5 minutes and cut into squares.