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Ah yes. I use a formula for the ricotta filling. This also works for ravioli, manicotti and stuffed shells.
Standard size lasagne 4 layers high by 3 wide
Heat the oven to 350 degrees
Have your pasta sauce already made and off the heat
cheese filling:
2 pounds of ricotta (drain it if it looks runny)
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup grated cheese of your choice (I use a parmigiano /romano mix)
1 cup mozzarella shredded (I often use a quatro formaggio or shredded cheese mix)
handful chopped fresh italian leaf parsley (you can also use some cooked spinach about 1/4 cup chopped)
salt and pepper
assembly:
Mix this till its smooth and combined
Take your lasagne pan and spread the bottom with just enough sauce to just coat do not soak it.
put your no boil lasagne sheets down take 1/3 if the cheese mixture and spread it out evenly.
top with some spoonfulls of sauce just enough to dress it do not drown

*if you feel like it slices of italian sausage that you browned/or cut up meatballs can go here, whatever you like*

then top with the shredded cheese.
Repeat each layer till you get to the top.
The top is just your 3 no boil lasagne sheets and pasta sauce.

*if you want a melted cheese topping do this last before serving*

Cover the pan with no stick foil and bake at 350 for 50-60 mins.
When it is done DO NOT REMOVE FOIL-let sit for 15 mins minimum!
If you want to top with melted shredded cheese turn the oven up to 450 right about now, remove the foil cover and top with shredded cheese put back in the oven for 5-8 more mins when it is brown and bubbily remove.
If you topped it let it sit for 15-20 mins again.
Always best the next day.

Thanks Jerz! I just sent my sister the perfect ragu recipe. Now I'm sending her your ricotta+. I too use the no-boil noodles when I don't make them myself.

@tmj529, my heart bleeds for you ... all this normal food made by normal people ... must be horrible ...

Part of this community is a blog about hamburgers. Sometimes, everyday hamburgers. SE founder Ed Levine wrote Friday that his family's Thanksgiving stuffing was doctored Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing. None of us who hang out here need lessons about what to enjoy and what not to enjoy. I for one enjoy cooked Barilla lasagna noodles layered with cheeses that include ricotta. It makes for an enjoying and satisfying meal, one I look forward to.

Methinks you're missing out on a lot of "really good" foods due to a confounded high-falutin' nature. There was a guy on M*A*S*H ... I believe the name was Winchester ...

lol Lunie! Did you get my e-mail?

@jerzee i've never tried the no-cook noodles. are they as good as the reg? or are they different? they would be sooooo much easier.

One of my favorites is the mushroom lasagne in "The Greens Cookbook" by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown. The fillings are herb-laced, sauteed mushrooms, ricotta, and more cheese. The sauces is a white bechamel. The noodles specified in the recipe are large sheets of fresh pasta. The bottom one is bigger than the pan so that it can be folded over the top to make a sealed packet during baking. If you can buy sheets of fresh pasta it's not too hard. If you make your own it can be quite an endeavor.

took the #%^&** right out of my fingers. heee heeeee

@carolrsfMISSESTEXAS , what is the perfect ragu recipe?

@iz Thanks Sista! and I agree
@dearrie, too F%@*+! funny!
@Rhiannon, This is pretty yummy. Amounts are hard to specify.
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 onion - chopped
1 carrot - chopped fine
1 rib celery - chopped fine
4-6 cloves of garlic - chopped
S/P
Basil
Oregano
=sofritto

3/4# ground meat
1/4# pork or veal
2 sweet italian sausages, casings removed

Combine the meats well.

1 cup Whole milk
2 glasses of wine
s/p
grating of nutmeg
1 can of Italian plum or cherry tomatoes, cut-up with their juice
1 can tomato paste

Pour the first glass of wine into your favorite glass. Cheers!
Make your sofritto.

Add your meat, salt immediately to extract the juices. Brown. Add pepper and basil.
Take a sip of wine.

Add milk and simmer gently, stirring often until it has bubbled away.
Add a grating of nutmeg and stir well again.
Add the second glass of wine to the meat sauce. Simmer.
Add tomatoes
Add basil and oregano
Add some marjoram
When it starts to bubble again turn down to the merest of simmers and cook for a couple - 3 hours stirring from time to time. If it becomes too dry, add a little water.
Finish your wine and enjoy.
Let me know if you make it. I welcome all positive critiques that come from my good friends here at SE. I think you know who I DON"T mean.

If I was making something pristine say if Bourdain was coming to dinner, I would use the boil lasagne, maybe even fresh sheets. After years of burning the crap out of the tips of my fingers and laying hot noodles on wax paper sheets, I use the no boil. The taste is not effected and some brands have ruffles. I do not make the bechamela unless I am making a seafood lasagne. If you are doing crab or shrimp or a combination you must use bechamela. My crowd likes a good ricotta lasagne.
Try the barilla or TJ's brand.

This healthy lasagna features ground turkey, skim ricotta cheese, and reduced fat mozzarella.

Ingredients

6 long lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 package (1 lb.) ground turkey
2 tsp. bottled or fresh minced garlic
½ tsp. salt (optional)
1 jar (28 oz.) fat free or regular spaghetti sauce
1 container (15 oz.) light or part skim ricotta cheese
½ C. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
¼ C. chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbs. dried
2 C. (8 oz.) reduced fat shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble turkey into a large skillet; add garlic and salt. Cook over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti sauce; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine ricotta cheese, ¼ C. of the Parmesan cheese and basil; mix well. Spread ¾ C. spaghetti sauce mixture in bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Layer half of noodles over sauce; spoon half of ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Top with 1 C. sauce; sprinkle with 1 C. mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ricotta cheese mixture, noodles, and sauce. Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle remaining 1 C. mozzarella cheese and ¼ C. Parmesan cheese over lasagna; return to oven and continue baking 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings.

Hillary
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