Thursday 28 June 2012

Italian Sausage Lasagna

A lot of flavour here!

Preparation time:  45 minutes
Cooking time:  50 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Makes:  8 servings

12 lasagna noodles (not oven ready noodles)
3 onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
4 crushed garlic cloves
5 1/2 oz can tomato paste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried leaf basil or 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
2 (28oz) cans whole tomatoes, including juice
2 lbs (1kg) Italian sausage
2 sweet peppers
2 zucchini
1 cup grated Asiago cheese about 125 g
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, about 125 g


  1. Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water, according to package directions, until al dente, about 12 to 14 minutes.  Drain noodles and rinse under cold water.  Lay wet pasta in a single layer on waxed paper.  Cover with another piece of waxed paper.
  2. Meanwhile, finely chop onions.  Heat oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat.  Add onions, parsley and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally , until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.  Do not let onions brown.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and seasonings.   Continue stirring mixture for 2 more minutes.  Stir in red wine.  Add tomatoes and juice, breaking up tomatoes into bite-size pieces.
  4. Cover and bring to a boil over medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for about 30 minutes.  This sauce can be made up to 2 days before preparing and baking lasagna.
  5. Meanwhile, pierce sausage casings several times.  Place whole sausages in a large frying pan set over medium heat.  Cook, turning often until well browned, about 15 minutes.  Cut sweet peppers into 1 inch pieces and slice zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds.
  6. Cut cooked Italian sausages into large bite size pieces.  Stir sausage pieces, sweet peppers and zucchini into simmering sauce.
  7. Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly coat bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with about 1 cup sauce.  Arrange a single layer of noodles over sauce.  Spoon one third of sauce over noodles.  Sprinkle with one third of asiago cheese.  Repeat layers twice.  Top lasagna with mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate.  Lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.  Bring to room temperature before baking.  Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until golden, about 40 to 45 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

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