| | | SAUSAGE,
CHEESE AND BASIL LASAGNA |
SAUCE
2
tablespoons olive oil.
1 pound MEATZZA spicy chicken skinless sausages.
1
cup chopped onion.
3 large garlic cloves, chopped.
2 teaspoons dried oregano.
1/4
teaspoon dried crushed red pepper.
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added
puree.
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion (do not
drain). |
 |
Heat
oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano
and crushed red pepper and sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage
into small pieces with back of fork, 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 and pepper. (Can be made 1 day
ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)
FILLING
1
1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 15-ounce container plus 1 cup part-skim
ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4
cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4
teaspoon ground black pepper
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|
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
12
no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
3 cups (packed) grated mozzarella
cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
Nonstick
olive oil spray
|
|
Preheat oven to 375°F. 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°F. 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. |