Paula'S Lasagna - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 cups hot water
24 ounces tomato paste
1 pound lasagna noodles
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 ounces ricotta cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ground beef to onion mixture; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir salt, basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground black pepper into beef mixture.
Whisk water and tomato paste together in a large bowl. Pour tomato paste mixture into beef mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce is slightly reduced and flavors blend, about 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain.
Measure out 1 cup mozzarella cheese and set aside.
Spread about 1/3 the sauce in the bottom of a 9 1/2x15-inch baking dish. Arrange lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce, top with 1/2 the ricotta cheese, and 1/2 the remaining mozzarella cheese. Spread 1/3 the sauce over the cheese, top with remaining lasagna noodles, 1/2 the ricotta cheese, and 1/2 mozzarella cheese. Spread last 1/3 the sauce over the top.
Bake lasagna in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle reserved 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and lasagna is heated through and bubbling, about 15 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes.