Lasagna

My husband loves lasagna more than any other Italian dish. He asked for it a few weeks ago, and I caved and made some for him this past weekend. This is more of a northern style lasagna as it uses bechamel instead of ricotta cheese and only a sprinkle of cheese on top.

1 package lasagna noodles
(I admit, I've made them quite often, but I wasn't that interested in going the extra mile in 90*F weather)
3 cups bechamel sauce
3 cups marinara sauce
1/2 lb Italian sausage
good handful fresh oregano and basil, chopped
1/2 c mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling water for about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside, covering with a damp cloth to keep the noodles from drying out.

Remove sausage from casings and cook over med-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces. Continue to cook the sausage until done, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the pan of any oil or fat and add the 3 cups of basil marinara. Simmer on low for about 3 minutes to let flavors meld.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 * F.

Spread some bechamel on the bottom of a baking pan. Top with a layer of pasta sheets. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on top of the pasta, top with a layer of bechamel, evenly sprinkle on some grated Parmesan cheese and top with another single layer of pasta. Do this layering process until all of the ingredients have been used and making sure that the final and top layer is bechamel sauce with Parmesan and mozzarella sprinkled on. When the baking dish is completely filled the lasagna is ready to be baked. Place into the oven and bake for 50 minutes until the top has begun to brown and the edges are crispy.