SWEET SAUSAGE AND THREE CHEESE LASAGNA

Sweet Sausage and Three Cheese Lasagna image

Provided by Aida Mollenkamp

Time 2h

Yield 12 to 15 servings/10 cups sauce

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
8 ounces lean ground pork
1/3 cup dry white wine
Two 28-ounce containers crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium dried bay leaves
One 9-ounce box no-boil lasagna noodles
24 ounces ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, low-moisture or fresh, thinly sliced
2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces)

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.