Email to Pat Barnes      

Lasagna with Sausage, Spinach & Tomato

Source of Recipe

Unknown


List of Ingredients

1 lb. Lasagna noodles

For sauce:
3 Tblsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 Tblsp. jar chopped garlic)
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes (or substitute about 2-lb ripe tomatoes)
1 (28 oz.) can tomato puree
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (or 2 Tblsp. dried)
3 Tblsp. basil, julienne (or 2 tsp. dry)
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and Pepper

For filling:
2 Tblsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped (1 Tblsp. jar chopped garlic)
2 lb Italian sausage, casing removed (hot or sweet, your preference)
8-oz fresh spinach, stems removed, leaves washed well
2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
1 egg
1-1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 Tblsp. parsley, chopped for top of lasagna



Recipe

Preheat oven to 350� F. Spray a large baking pan well with cooking spray. In a large stockpot, heat 3 Tblsp. olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot, and saut� until onion begins to brown. Add tomatoes and puree. Stir well. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add parsley and basil to sauce, and cook 15 minutes more. Working in batches, puree sauce in blender; return to same pot. (If you have a hand blender, you can use it right in the pot). Add cream and simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna in a large pot of boiling, salted water until halfway cooked according to package directions. Drain under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well, and toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saut� until garlic just turns golden brown. Add sausage and cook, breaking up large pieces. Cook until very well browned. Drain off excess fat and set aside.

Blanch spinach in a pot of boiling, salted water just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain under cold running water to stop cooking, and squeeze as much water from the spinach as you can. Set aside.

Combine ricotta, spinach, egg, 1 cup of grated Romano, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
Combine mozzarella with remaining 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese. Set aside.

Pour about 1 cup of sauce into bottom of prepared pan. Cover with a layer of lasagna, then ricotta, then sausage, then more sauce then mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of lasagna. Top with remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella and some parsley.

Bake lasagna, uncovered for 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 8-10.

Note: You can make this ahead of time, and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or for about 2 weeks frozen. To freeze, cover with both plastic wrap and foil. To bake, remove plastic wrap, keep covered with foil and bake in a low oven (250� F.) until a knife goes through easily. Then bake as above.