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Optional Ingredients:
In a large frying pan brown the beef and chop it with a wooden spoon to make it very fine. Drain the fat and transfer the meat to a large pot. In the same frying pan sauté the garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Add the vegetables (except tomatoes) and continue to sauté for about five minutes. Drain the liquid and add the vegetables to the pot with the beef. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and herbs to the pot and simmer on medium-low heat for about 1/2 hour. The sauce should be very wet - like soup - because the lasagna noodles will not be precooked and the starch from the noodles will absorb much of the liquid. If necessary (or desired) add some tomato juice or red wine.
Mix, Romano, Egg, spinach and oregano in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside.
Melt butter in a small saucepan. A tablespoon at a time, stir in enough flour such that the mixture thickens and begins to ball up. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk or cream a little at a time to prevent lumps from forming. Return the pan to the heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a LARGE casserole dish (11 x 14 or larger) put a ladle full of the tomato sauce and spread to cover the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of noodles on the sauce cutting or cracking them as necessary to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover the noodles with another layer of tomato sauce. Be generous - remember the noodles are dry. Add another layer of noodles. Spread the entire spinach and cheese mixture over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles. Add another generous layer of tomato sauce. Pour the Béchamel Sauce over the tomato sauce. Top with a layer of thick slices of mozzarella. If preparing in advance, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate. One to one and one half-hours before you are ready to eat place the covered casserole in the oven, which has been pre-heated to 350 degrees. (Note: it might be a good idea to put the casserole on a cookie sheet so it doesn't make too much of a mess. Shirley always hollers at me because, no matter how big a dish I use, it always seems to overflow.) After 45 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking at 350 degrees for another 15 - 25 minutes. At this point the Lasagna should be bubbling. Test by putting a knife in the middle and feeling the blade to see if the Lasagna is hot all the way through. If done remove the Lasagna from the oven and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Cut into uniform pieces and serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan (preferably Reggiano) and garlic cheese bread. Forget the calories and enjoy!!!
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