Hearty Italian Lasagna

Begin by filling a large pot with water and placing it on high heat to reach a rolling boil. Once boiling, cook lasagna noodles for 6-8 minutes or until they reach the al dente stage. Remove the noodles from the boiling water and immediately submerge them in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Next, lay the cooked noodles flat on a surface and gently pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

In a large skillet, heat over medium-high heat and sear the ground beef until it is no longer pink in color. Add sliced onion, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the skillet and continue cooking until the onion is translucent. Remove any excess liquid from the skillet and set the seasoned ground beef aside.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded Romano cheese, 2 cups of the prepared spaghetti sauce, and the seasoned ground beef. Mix all ingredients together until they are well combined.

While preparing the ricotta mixture, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce at the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles lengthwise across the sauce, followed by a few noodles in an opposite direction. Pour a generous amount of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, followed by several fresh basil leaves on top. Add another layer of noodles lengthwise and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Arrange the zucchini slices on top of the mozzarella cheese in an appealing manner. Add another layer of ricotta cheese and finally, add the last layer of noodles lengthwise.

Top the final layer of noodles with a generous amount of spaghetti sauce, several more basil leaves arranged artfully on top, and finish with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the mozzarella cheese is golden brown. If the cheese becomes too dark, loosely cover it with a piece of foil to prevent further browning.