Lasagne

Last week we were co-hosts of a high school swim team spaghetti dinner.  Co-hosts means that another family generously volunteered their house and then a few families contributed to the meal.  We had decided at our organizational meeting that we would have lasagne in addition to spaghetti and garlic bread and salad and desserts.  Hmm...the thought of the lasagne made me really hungry for lasagne so I made this for us even though  I ended up purchasing a lasagne for the dinner due to some time constraints.  Yep, I purchased a lasagne for the dinner.  Kinda like cheating, but it was what worked that week.  

Lasagne:
1# bulk Italian sausage
1 1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c green pepper
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz can tomatoes, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
2-6oz cans tomato paste
2 t dried basil
9 lasagne noodles
2 eggs
2 1/2 c ricotta
3/4 c Parmesan
2 T dried parsley flakes
1/2-1 lb mozzarella, sliced or grated

Cook sausage (should be bulk, not links) along with onion and green pepper.  Drain. Stir in the undrained tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, basil, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.  Cook lasagne noodles until tender.  Drain, rinse.  Beat eggs; add ricotta, 1/2 c Parmesan and parsley, salt, and pepper.
Ladle some of the sauce in 13 by 9 baking dish.  Layer half noodles and spread with half ricotta filling, half the mozzarella and half the meat sauce.  Repeat layers sprinkling parmesan on top.
Bake 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

I did not boil the noodles this time since that can be a time saver (as well as a pot saver); however, I do have to say that I prefer the taste and texture of noodles that are boiled before the lasagne assembly.  It does work to put the uncooked noodles in the layers though.

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