Lasagna with Pesto Ricotta

Ingredients

Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb hot italian sausage, removed from casing

1 red pepper, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, diced

1 12-ounce can crushed seasoned tomatoes

1 24-ounce jar tomato sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 TBL salt

1 TBL pepper

Lasagna:

12 ounces pesto

16-ounces ricotta

1 lb boil and bake lasagna noodles

1 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, grated

12 ounces mozzarella, sliced thin

Prepare meat sauce: Simmer 2 TBL EVOO over medium heat. Add diced peppers and onions and cook 5-6 minutes. Add ground beef and sausage and break up with spatula. Add garlic. Sauté until veggies are soft and meat is cooked. Add can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes. Bring to boil then lower heat to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Boil water and cook lasagna noodles per package directions until al dente.

Grease 13x9 baking pan and preheat oven to 375. Combine ricotta and pesto in a bowl.

Add 1 cup sauce to bottom of baking dish, then one layer of noodles, layer of ricotta pesto mixture, 2 TBL parm and 5-6 slices of mozzarella. Repeat for three layers. Use remaining parm and mozzarella on top layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve.