Easy Cooking: Lasagne

Italian restaurants typically charge more for lasagne than many other dishes. Strange, because lasagne is so easy to make and the ingredients are not expensive. Following is the recipe I've used for years and shared with readers of my newspaper columns. Customize it with sauteed mushrooms and spinach or whatever you want. I'm vegetarian, therefore none of my recipes includes meats. For seasonings, layer in snipped basil or parsley. If fresh isn't available, go without. Dried won't do.

Make your own marinara sauce or buy it; you'll need about a quart, enough to cover each layer of noodles. I use Barilla pasta (a 9-ounce package) because it has the best taste and texture. To give the noodles an even better texture, cover them with hottest tap water for 20 minutes. I find this method is better than if you boil the noodles first or use the no-boil kind.

Stir 15 ounces ricotta cheese with 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan. Drain noodles in colander. Spray 9x13-inch pan with Pam. (Pan should be deep enough for three layers and room to spare at top, otherwise it will bubble over into your oven.) Spoon in about 1/3 cup marinara sauce, then one layer of noodles. More sauce (about a third of remaining sauce) over noodles (plop it here and there and spread around).

Slice 1 pound fresh mozzarella (the kind packaged in water) and layer half of the slices over sauce. Spread half of ricotta mixture over mozzarella, then another layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella and ricotta. Follow with another layer of noodles, then remaining sauce. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup Parmesan (or shredded regular mozzarella) over top. Bake at 400 degrees 35 minutes or until lasagne is browned, cheese is melted, and there's bubbling around the edges. Wait 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 6 to 8.