Instructions

1. Spread a thin layer of the beef meat sauce on the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish, using about 1/2 cup. This helps keep the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

2. Lay the lasagna noodles lengthwise in the baking dish so the bottom of the pan is fully covered. You may need to overlap the noodles. Four to five sheets of noodles should fit, overlapping. If your noodles are not long enough to cover the whole bottom, lay one or two of the noodles crosswise on the ends and cut them with a sharp knife to fit the pan.

3. Spread a thick layer of ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, at least 1/2 inch thick, followed by a generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, about 2 cups.

4. Spread a thick layer of meat sauce over the cheeses, about 1 1/2 cups. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the meat sauce evenly.

5. Add a second layer of pasta, then repeat layering process, adding the ricotta, mozzarella and meat sauce. You can repeat with more layers, depending on the size of your dish and how tall you want the lasagna to be. Add slightly thinner layers of ingredients in between the noodles if you plan on having multiple layers, but keep in mind that if the layers are too thin, the lasagna will turn out too heavy.

6. Add a final layer of pasta noodles, followed by a thin layer of sauce, about a 1/2 cup, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil before baking it. If you are not ready to bake, wrap the entire baking dish and store in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to a month.