BINDU'S MEATY CHEESY LASAGNA WITH A KICK'

BINDU'S MEATY CHEESY LASAGNA WITH A KICK' image

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 31

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Ingredients
Sauce
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound Italian spicy sausages, casings removed
Smallest package of ground beef cooked and drained
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 cups chopped onions
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoon dried oregano
(a dash of fennel and thyme)
1 TBSP dried crushed red pepper
1 package sliced mushrooms (steam them with a little salt for 5 minutes in microwave oven and drain excess water ahead of time)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes in juice, tomatoes chopped, juice reserved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Filling:
Make in a Pyrex bowl
1 cup fresh basil leaves (or the rest of the container)
1 cup fresh chopped spinach
1 15-ounce or smaller container ricotta cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated (smoked if possible) mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
(a pinch of garam masala)
Lasagna
12 10x2-inch lasagna noodles (try whole wheat)
sprinkle the top with some cheddar cheese if desired

Steps:

Preparation For sauce: Heat 2 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage; sauté until browned, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add prosciutto; stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and next 6 ingredients. Sauté until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, basil, and sausage mixture. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) For lasagna assemblage: Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm. Drain. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Make the filling and set aside Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles atop sauce. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture thinly over noodles. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce 2 more times. Cover with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with cheddar. Cover with foil. Can be prepared day ahead. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 375°F until heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 5-10 minutes and serve with garlic bread.