Italian Sausage Lasagna

Preheat the oven to 400°F and position the oven rack in the middle.

To make the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.

Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked and no longer pink.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, place lasagna noodles in a pan and cover with hot tap water. Let them soak for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, make the cheese filling by combining the ricotta, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, and the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

To assemble, ladle one-third of the meat sauce into a 9x12 inch casserole dish. Add a layer of half the soaked noodles, half the sliced mozzarella, and half the ricotta mixture.

Add another one-third of the meat sauce. Top with the remaining noodles, mozzarella, and ricotta mixture. Finish with the remaining meat sauce.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.