Kelsey Ferrera / Daily Nexus

Kelsey Ferrara / Daily Nexus

I come from a big Italian family and one thing we do well is lasagna. The recipe comes straight from my mother who regularly cooks for 30+ relatives at family parties. This lasagna recipe is enough to keep my ravenous extended family at bay, and I’ve found that it’s perfect for college apartment living. As many people are starting their new leases or returning from vacation, this recipe will be sure to be a great addition to your new kitchen. I recommend you make this dish over the weekend so you’ll have yummy leftovers to last you throughout the week.

My mom still breaks out this recipe for me and my brother when we need a pick-me-up and now I cook it whenever I’m feeling sick of Ramen noodles and frozen dinners. The end product is very filling and consists of layer upon layer of warm, cheesy noodles and a delectable meat sauce. This dish is covered with melted mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. While you’ll dirty a few plates making this dish, it is definitely worth it in the end.

(My family prefers not to use exact measurements, so use your own judgment)

1/2 lb. ground turkey

1 jar Ricotta cheese

1 bag egg noodles

1 jar pasta sauce

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. While you’re waiting for the oven to heat up, boil a pot of water and then add the egg noodles. As this is cooking, plop the ground turkey into a saucepan and brown lightly. Be sure to stir the ground turkey to keep from burning. Once the turkey is evenly cooked, add a jar of pasta sauce and stir until evenly distributed. By the time this is finished, your egg noodles should be done. Strain out the excess water and set the noodles aside.

Once everything is done cooking, it’s time to start layering! The first layer consists of the egg noodles and should completely cover the bottom of the dish. The next layer is a thin coating of Ricotta cheese that should cover the noodles. Now, pour the meat sauce for the third layer and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top. Repeat all three layers one more time.

Now you’re almost done! Cover your dish with aluminum foil and place in oven (which should be nice and heated by now) to cook for 20 minutes. Once this is done, peel off the  foil and leave uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is cooked. Finally, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and serve with a side of garlic bread.

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