Summer Lasagna With Fresh Mozzarella, Sausage, And Basil

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 lbs roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 lb sweet italian sausage (lamb, chicken, or turkey)
• 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 24 basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Recipe

• 1 position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 make tomato sauce: heat a big saucepan over medium heat; swirl in ¼ cup olive oil, then add in the onions; cook about 2 minutes, until softened, stirring constantly.
• 3 add in the garlic; cook about 20 seconds, just until aromatic.
• 4 add in the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer.
• 5 decrease heat to low; simmer 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens; stir in the tomato paste.
• 6 meanwhile, heat a big skillet over med-high heat; swirl in 1 tablespoon oil; add in the sausage.
• 7 the moment the sausage starts to sizzle, decrease heat somewhat and continue cooking until the sausages are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes, turning every so often.
• 8 transfer sausages to a cutting board and let them stand for a few minutes until you can easily cut them into thin rings.
• 9 build or layer the casserole: in a 13x9 inch pan, spread 1 cup tomato sauce across the pan’s bottom; 3 no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, half the sausage rings, half the basil leaves; half the cheese slices, 3 no-boil noodles, 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, the remaining sausage rings, the remaining basil, the remaining cheese, the remaining noodles and finally, the remaining tomato sauce.
• 10 cover the pan with parchment paper, then aluminum foil.
• 11 bake for 35 minutes, then uncover pan and continue baking about 15 more minutes, until hot, bubbling, and set.
• 12 let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.