Sausage, Cheese and Basil Lasagna

By á-6055

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausages -- casings removed
• 1 cup onion -- chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves -- chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes with added puree
• 1 14.5 oz.can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion -- do not drain
• Filling:
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves -- (packed)
• 1 15 oz. cont. plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese -- (packed)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Assembly:
• 1 8-oz pkg no boil lasagna noodles (use 12)
• 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese -- (packed)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• nonstick olive oil spray

Preparation

Step 1

Sauce: Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and saute until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces, for about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt & pepper.

Filling: Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 375.
Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.