Preparation Time: 40 min / Total Time: 2.5 hrs
This recipe works really well with our Italian sausages or our Chicken Basil Pesto sausage.

Ingredients

• 12 dried lasagna noodles, cooked
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed
• 2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 cups shredded mozzarella
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

1. Prepare Noodles
   

   Fill a 9x13 baking dish 2/3 of the way with hot tap water. Add noodles and arrange them in alternating directions to prevent sticking. Let soak while preparing sauce.

2. Prepare Sauce
   

   Heat oil in 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 then puree, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon or your fingers; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook until thickened about 20 min. You should have 8 cups of sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Oven Baking Step 1
   

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

4. Oven Baking Step 2
   

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

Source: Everyday Food, March 2006, p. 110