Step 1

Cutting Board and Knife

Step 2

Medium Saucepan

Step 3

Garlic Press

Step 4

Large Stock Pot

Step 5

Tongs

Step 6

Paper Towel

Step 7

Cheese Grater

Step 8

9 x 13" Baking Dish

Step 9

Tin Foil

Step 10

Heat a medium saucepan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Dice the onion and red pepper and add them to the pot once the oil is hot. Cook for a couple of minutes until the onion is translucent. Mince or press the garlic and add to the saucepan with the black pepper, spicy spaghetti seasoning and ground beef.

Step 11

Cook until the beef is no longer pink, drain the excess grease and put back on the stove. Stir in the pasta sauce, cottage cheese and bring to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring every 10 minutes or so to avoid burning *see note The sauce should be very thick once done. You can skim the grease off of the sauce during the cooking process. (I keep a little bowl and a spoon beside the pot and skim every time I stir)

Step 12

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Don't skip the salt, it helps to take moisture out of the cabbage leaves.

Step 13

Cut the core from the cabbage. I do this by carefully cutting around the core on an angle with a knife so that you end up with an empty space running halfway into the cabbage where the core used to be. This makes it easy for the leaves to peel away from the cabbage during the boiling process.

Step 14

Using a pair of tongs (no, don't just toss it in the pot and run like the wind) carefully place the cabbage into the boiling water.

Step 15

After about five minutes the leaves will start to peel away from the head. You can gently help them if you wish, but you will want to leave each leaf inside the boiling pot of water until they become super soft.

Step 16

Using the tongs remove each leaf from the pot as they become ready, rinse with water and place on paper towel or clean kitchen towels to dry *see note It will take about 20/30 minutes to cook the whole head; you will want about 12-15 leaves.

Step 17

Heat your oven to 350°. Thinly slice the basil, and grate the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Combine the cheeses in a medium bowl, mix the basil into the meat sauce and spread 1/3 of the sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Spread the sauce with a spoon to ensure even coverage then sprinkle 1/2c cheese over the sauce and cover evenly with 4 or 5 cabbage leaves *see note 7.

Step 18

Sprinkle just under 1c cheese over the cabbage then half of the remaining meat sauce. Spread evenly with a spoon then add 1/2c cheese mixture and 4 or 5 more cabbage leaves.

Step 19

Cover the cabbage with just under 1c cheese, then spread the remainder of the meat sauce over the cheese. Add 1/2c cheese, 4 or 5 cabbage leaves and then top with the remaining cheese mix.

Step 20

Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and turn the oven to broil. Broil the lasagna until the cheese is bubbly. Slice the cabbage lasagna into 12 and serve hot!