Lasagne With Smoked Cheese

TO PREPARE THE SAUCE: In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Crumble the beef into the skillet and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Add the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set the sauce aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the egg and set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNE: Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Place 3 pieces of the uncooked lasagne pieces vertically, down the length of the pan, without them touching (they are pre-cooked and will expand in the oven). Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the lasagne pieces, then 1/3 of the grated Jarlsberg, then 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce. Repeat this procedure 3 times, making sure that each time you entirely cover the lasagne pieces with sauce and filling or they will dry out in the oven rather than rehydrate and become soft.

Spread the remaining sauce over the last 3 lasagne pieces, covering them well. With a vegetable peeler, shave very thin slices of the smoked cheese and place them over the tomato sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.