Best Lasagna Ingredients
I love lasagna. My whole family loves lasagna. In fact, this might be one of the few dishes that my entire family is really excited to see on the dinner table.
We use several different lasagna recipes, but the one below is our favorite.
I think it is because of the unique ingredients including goat cheese, fresh basil leaves, and sliced mozzarella.
My brother and his family were in town over the weekend, so I decided to make this favorite for everyone.
I found the recipe in my “Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook”.
Here’s the low down on how to make this special lasagna.
LASAGNA WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE
2 T olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Follow these steps:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10-12 inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8-10 minutes, or until no longer pink.
Onions and Turkey Sausage cooling in olive oil
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh chopped basil and parsley, onions, Italian turkey sausage simmering together for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
Lasagna Noodles in Hot water for 20 minutes to soften up
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, the egg, the remaining two tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Mix ricotta cheese, goat cheese, 1 cup parmesan, the egg, parsley, salt and pepper
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9x12x2 inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Layers for Lasagna: sauce, pasta, mozzarella, ricotta
Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Can you believe, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product?! :0 Well, I can tell you it was beautiful and absolutely delicious. This lasagna was gobbled up quick. No leftovers.
Enjoy!
