Famous Lasagna

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 16 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces, or enough for 4 layers in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish)
• 2 containers (15 ounces each) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
• 1 large egg
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for coating
• Basic Meat Sauce
• 1 pound part-skim mozzarella, coarsely grated (4 cups)
• 4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 cup)

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt water; add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Lay noodles on a baking sheet, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper.

• Step 2

  In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, parsley, and egg. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

• Step 3

  Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Begin layering: Place 4 noodles in dish, slightly overlapping. Top with half the meat sauce and 4 more noodles. Top with half the ricotta filling, then half the mozzarella. Repeat the layering process, ending with the mozzarella. Sprinkle top with Parmesan.

• Step 4

  Cover with lightly oiled foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, 30 to 40 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.