Old World Lasagna

1Prepare sauce, allowing 4 ½ hours for cooking.

Add the onion and garlic to hot oil in a large, deep skillet and cook until onion is soft.
Add the ground meat, separate it into small pieces, and cook until lightly browned.

In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add the spices, and browned meat mixture.

Cook, uncovered, over a low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2After sauce is prepared, start the actual Lasagna.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add ground beef and cook until browned, separating into small pieces.

Spread ½ cup of sauce in a 2 quart baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spread 1/3 of the ground beef and half the egg slices on top. Sprinkle on half the Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Top with ¼ cup of ricotta.

Beginning with the sauce, repeat the layering, ending with the ricotta. Top ricotta with ½ cup sauce. Top with ricotta and with ½ cup sauce. Arrange over this, the remaining noodles. Top with more sauce.

3Bake at 375 about 30 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to set the layers. Cut in squares and serve topped with the remaining sauce.