Creole Lasagna

By mhyde

Ingredients

• For the cheese mixture:
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 pound andouille sausage, fresh, casing removed
• 1 box lasagna noodles, dried
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups jack cheese, grated
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

Directions: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta for 6 minutes. Rinse pasta with warm water, drain, coat with oil, and set aside. Mix seasonings, keeping 1 tablespoon aside for the cheese mixture. Divide the remaining seasonings in half and set aside.

Heat a large pot over medium heat, adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes; then add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add ground turkey and andouille sausage, breaking into small chunks. Season with half of the seasoning blend and cook until browned, about 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix well; cook for 5 more minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, season with remaining spice blend, and mix well. Lower heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For cheese mixture:

Mix sharp cheddar, jack, and mozzarella cheeses; set aside. Mix eggs, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, and 1 cup of the cheddar/jack/mozzarella blend together; set aside.

To assemble lasagna:

Grease a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish, and place about 1 cup of ragù on the bottom. Top with lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping them.

Top with more pasta sauce, then add about 6 heaping tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle some of the remaining grated cheese mixture on top, then repeat with another layer of noodles, meat mixture, cheese mixture, and grated cheeses. For the last layer, top noodles with pasta sauce and remaining grated cheeses.

Cover casserole with greased foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes. After removing the lasagna from the oven, allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.