Lasagna con Tre Formaggi e Salsiccia

Lasagna with Three Cheeses and Italian Sausage


For the sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 ounces lean ground beef
6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

For the lasagna:
15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed
dry
2 large eggs
4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Prepare the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a heavy large saucepan over
medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic; saute until softened, about 12
minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; saute until cooked through,
breaking up meat with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining
ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about
5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Let
cool. Prepare the lasagna: Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook the pasta in
large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes.
Drain; cover with cold water. Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
in a medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Mix in eggs. Drain pasta and pat dry.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Place
5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach
mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly
over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 and 1/2 cups sauce over cheese,
spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). Repeat layering
with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella
cheese and 1 and 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce.
Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella
cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (Can be prepared
up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna for 40 minutes; uncover
and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15
minutes before serving. Serves 8.

"Adriana's Italian Gourmet Cookies"

If you would like more of our Italian and Sicilian recipes straight
from Italy be sure to visit CookiesFromItaly.com

Ciao-Ciao!
Adriana

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