Country Lasagne

If I'm going to the trouble of making lasagna, this recipe (scroll down for recipe) is the one I'll have open on the counter. It's a little more time consuming than some, but who makes homemade lasagna to save time? I pulled a pan out of the freezer this week, and we were in Italian-food heaven, with an arugula salad and ciabatta on the side (we always have carbs with our carbs!)

n.o.e.'s notes:

- This lasagne freezes beautifully; wrap in plastic wrap first then foil. Having a batch in the freezer always makes me feel prepared for anything (well, except for those folks in my life who don't eat meat/pork)

- I've used turkey sausage instead of pork.

- Fresh or dried pasta can be used.


the recipe:

Country Lasagne
from The Hay Day Cookbook

2 T butter
1 small carrot, finely chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chopped parsley
1 dried chili pepper, broken into pieces
1 lb lean pork shoulder, ground
3/4 c. dry white wine
2 c crushed tomatoes, or 6 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 lb hot pork sausage
1 lb fresh pasta sheets, cut in 2-inch strips, or 1 lb lasagne noodles
1 c fresh ricotta cheese
4 T grated Parmesan cheese
6 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

Melt butter an brown carrot, onions, garlic, and parsley. Add the chili pepper. Add the pork. Lower the heat and brown meat thoroughly. Add wine, boil until it evaporates, and then add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently until pork is tender.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Twenty minutes before pork is done (it should simmer a total of about 1 hour), add the sausage. Cook pasta, drain, and layer in a 2 quart baking dish with meat sauce, ricotta, and Parmesan, repeating the layers until the dish is full. Top with mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

I'm sending this to Presto Pasta Nights, a creation of Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. This weekly round up of delicious pasta dishes from bloggers all over the world is hosted this week by Sara of I'm a Food Blog.