Lasagna with ricotta

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 2 cans (28 ounces each ) crushed tomatoes in puree
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound Johnsonville® Ground Mild Italian sausage
  • 4 Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage Links
  • 1 carton (16 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 12 sheets no-cook lasagna noodles
  • 21 slices provolone cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

In a Dutch oven, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes; add garlic, cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, water, fresh basil, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Add to sauce; simmer mixture is thickened, about 1 hour.
While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 350°. Place sausage links on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly; slice into 1/4-in.-thick pieces.
In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, dried basil and remaining sugar.
In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, spread 2 cups sauce. Arrange four noodles over sauce; spread with a third of the ricotta mixture. Add seven provolone slices, a third of the sausage links and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers two more times, using only 1 cup sauce per layer. Spread with 2 cups sauce (reserve remaining sauce for serving on the side), remaining 2-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese (dish will be full).
Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until bubbly and deep golden brown, 60-65 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining meat sauce.
Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 509 calories, 33g fat (15g saturated fat), 106mg cholesterol, 1185mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 3g fiber), 29g protein.