Ingredients :
2 lb (908 g) hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup (235 ml) water
1 (32-oz [908-g]) container part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
20 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade, divided
2 cups (200 g) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cups (360 g) freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
16 oven-ready lasagna noodles
Directions :
Cook the sausage for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat in a 12-inch (30.5-cm) pan until it is browned and well cooked. As the sausage cooks, shred it with a spatula. If needed, drain the extra drippings. In a pan with the cooked sausage, add the marinara and water. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring periodically. Get rid of the heat. In the meantime, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper, and half of the chiffonaded basil leaves in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine. Add 2 cups (240 g) of mozzarella and 1 cup (100 g) of Parmesan cheese. To blend, stir.
Use nonstick cooking spray to coat a 6-quart (6-L) slow cooker. In the slow cooker, pour 2 cups (480 g) of sauce into the bottom. Add a layer of noodles on top, breaking them as necessary (about 4 noodles). One-third of the cheese mixture, or about 112 cups (360 g), should be doled out and then evened out with a spatula. Over the cheese, spoon 2 cups (480 g) of beef sauce. Noodles, cheese mixture, sauce, noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce are repeated to create two additional layers. Then, add a fourth layer of noodles, cover with the remaining sauce, and top with the last 1 cup (120 g) of mozzarella.When the pasta is al dente, cover and cook for 2 12 to 3 hours on high (or 5 to 6 hours on low) (has a bite to it). Before serving, turn off the slow cooker and allow it to stand for 20 to 30 minutes. This will speed up the cooling process and make cutting the lasagna much simpler. Add the remaining 1 cup (100 g) of Parmesan cheese and the remaining basil leaves that have been chiffonaded on top.