Lasagna With Basil And Fennel - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated (about 4 cups packed)
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds (I've added as much as 3 teaspoons and it's still great)
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
2 (1 1/2 ounce) packets spaghetti sauce seasoning with mushroom flavors or 3 -4 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 cup canned low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
9 no-boil lasagna noodles (from one 8-ounce package)
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F
Mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl.
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds; saute 5 minutes. Add beef; saute 10 minutes, breaking up meat with fork. Mix in seasoning, then tomatoes, broth and wine. Cover and simmer 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper.
Spoon 1 1/3 cups sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over. Top with half of basil leaves, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue layering with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Finish with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (reserve remaining sauce for another use). Cover with foil; place on baking sheet.
Bake lasagna until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; let stand 15 minutes. Cut lasagna into squares.