Preheat the oven

• Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F).

Soften the vegetables

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add the onion, carrots, garlic and celery with a pinch of salt.
• Cook until softened, stirring occasionally.

Brown the meat

• Add the ground beef and ground pork.
• Break up the meat with a spoon and cook until fully browned.

Build the sauce

• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring.

Add the passata

• Pour in the passata.
• Add the water to the passata jar, shake vigorously and pour into the sauce.
• Add the basil sprigs and the Parmesan rinds.

Simmer the sauce

• Simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens.

Make the ricotta mixture

• In a bowl, combine the chopped parsley, ricotta, egg, salt, pepper and part of the grated Parmesan.
• Mix until well combined and set aside.

Assemble the lasagna

• Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Add a single layer of cooked pasta, a few dollops of the ricotta mixture, more tomato sauce spread evenly, then a layer of mozzarella.
• Repeat the layering twice more with pasta, ricotta, sauce and mozzarella.

Top the lasagna

• Finish with the remaining mozzarella and the rest of the grated Parmesan.

Bake

• Bake until the cheese is golden brown.

Rest and serve

• Remove from the oven and let rest before slicing.
• Serve garnished with fresh basil.