Lasagna for Valentine's Day

Ingredients:

• Package (450 g) of lasagna sheets
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1.5 tsp dried oregano
• 0.7 kg ground beef
• 1 can (170 g) of tomato paste
• 1 can (800 gr.) grated tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 340 g ricotta
• 220 gr. grated mozzarella (2 tbsp.)
• 2 large eggs
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Special equipment: 10-cup heart-shaped cake pan with a hole in the middle

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, according to the package directions. Line a baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Drain the noodles and spread them out on the baking sheet to dry completely (you may need to layer them in 2-3 layers to fit all the noodles; place paper towels between each layer).
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef, 2 teaspoons of salt, and a generous sprinkling of black pepper.
4. Cook, breaking up the mince with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until well absorbed and heated through, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
6. Cut six lasagna noodles in half crosswise. Line the bottom of a heart-shaped cake pan with four lasagna halves (two along the straight lines of the heart and two along the curves).
7. Place 12 whole sheets in the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping and directly on top of the bottom half, making sure one side of each sheet hangs 5-7cm over the edge of the pan and the other side rises up towards the centre of the pan.
8. Spoon 1 cup of meat sauce over the noodles, then spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture on top. Top with 4 lasagna noodle halves. Repeat the layers one more time. Spoon 1 cup of meat sauce and spread the remaining ricotta mixture (there will be less than 1 cup).
9. Fold the edges of the lasagna noodles toward the center, completely enclosing the filling and the center opening. Bake until the lasagna is golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Invert the pan onto a cutting board. If needed, reheat any remaining sauce and pour it into the center of the heart. Slice and serve immediately.