Instructions:

Practically Effortless Lasagna

1 pot homemade tomato sauce*
1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked**
1/2 to 3/4 pound ricotta
1 1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced thin***

*The sauce is all-important; use your favorite. I always use "Grandma Vinny's Sauce."

**Use Ronzoni or another premium brand.

***I've tried both sliced and shredded and find that thinly sliced works best.

Ladle a small amount of sauce (just enough to cover the bottom) into a Pyrex baking dish. Spread it around so the entire bottom of the dish is covered lightly. Dip lasagna noodles into sauce so each is covered with a thin layer. Put one layer of sauce-covered noodles in the dish. Dot all over with the ricotta. Cover with a thin layer of mozzarella. Cover with a thin layer of sauce. Repeat with another layer of sauce-covered noodles, ricotta and mozzarella until you run out of room--usually about 2 to 3 layers, ending with a layer of noodles. For the top layer of noodles, spread a little extra sauce on top. This layer will burn unless it's completely covered. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Use two pieces, one on either side and meeting in the middle, if necessary. Microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes, turning dish once. Turn dish again and microwave at 50% power for 30 minutes, again turning dish once during the cooking.

Carefully remove plastic wrap and allow lasagna to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

NOTES: My tendency was to use a lot of sauce and cheese to make this dish as rich as possible. This is a mistake. Be sparing with the sauce and the cheeses and the lasagna will hold together beautifully and cut easily. If you go overboard, you'll have a soupy, gloppy mess.

Servings: 8