Tomato Sausage Lasagna

Tomato Sausage Lasagna

12 dried lasagna noodles, (about 10 ounces), uncooked

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes in puree

Coarse salt and ground pepper

6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, (about 3 ounces)

Fill a 9-by-13-inch baking dish two-thirds of the way with hot tap water. Add noodles, and arrange them in alternating directions to prevent sticking. Let soak while preparing sauce.

Make sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their puree, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon or your finger; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. (You should have about 8 cups of sauce.) Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain noodles, transfer to a baking sheet; dry dish with paper towels. Spoon 1 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Fit 4 noodles in dish (crosswise if using short noodles, lengthwise if using long), overlapping slightly. Cover with 2 cups sauce, 2 cups mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with another layer, then top with remaining noodles, 3 cups sauce, and the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour.

Remove foil, and continue baking until bubbly and browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 20 minutes. Cut and serve.

Chad's rating: 10/10

Amy's rating: 9.5/10 - Easy to make and very good!

Recipe from Everyday Food - PBS. Picture also from Everyday food - I forgot to take a picture.