Sweet Italian Sausage Lasagna Dee Dees Recipes

SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE LASAGNA - DEE DEE'S

Steps:

• 1. SAUCE: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook until tender.
• 2. Add red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, tomatoes, tomato sauce, fresh basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; stir. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat slighly and let simmer for 15 minutes covered. Remove lid and simmer another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken.
• 3. LASAGNA: Remove casing from sausage and break sausage up. In a large skillet brown the sausage with fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook sausage until brown and cooked all the way through.
• 4. Mix ricotta cheese and eggs in a small bowl; set aside.
• 5. In a large casserole dish or pan start creating the lasagna by spooning a thin layer of the sauce at the bottom of dish, add a layer of noodles.
• 6. Next, add another layer of sauce on top of the noodles. Add ½ of the cottage or ricotta mixture; sprinkle ½ of the brown sausage over this mixture, and and top with ½ of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer or noodles and continue the layering process ending with the mozzarella cheese.
• 7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until bubbly. Let it sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

SWEET SAUSAGE AND THREE CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the garlic and onions, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until just softened. Add the sausage and ground pork and stir to break up the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat starts to color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the browned bits, until the alcohol smell is cooked off. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, the basil, oregano and bay leaves and season well with freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well mixed and the tomatoes start to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• For the lasagna: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Spread 2 cups of the sauce in a thin layer over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles over the sauce, top with 2 cups more sauce and spread it evenly over the noodles. Evenly dollop one-quarter of the ricotta across the sauce, top with one-quarter of the mozzarella and sprinkle evenly with one-quarter of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, for a total of 4 layers.
• Cover with foil and bake until the liquids are bubbling and the noodles are beginning to soften, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the noodles are completely tender, about 20 minutes more. Allow to rest 20 minutes before cutting.