 Courtesy iStockphoto/Thinkstock |
Yield: 8-plus servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh spinach, washed and patted dry
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 ounce stewed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese
- 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
Preparation
In large frying pan, sauté spinach in olive oil until spinach begins to wilt. Do not overcook.
Place several layers of paper towel on plate, and remove spinach from pan onto paper towels. Cover spinach with several paper towels, and press to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add sausage, and cook until brown. Add oregano, basil, salt, pepper and fennel seed, and mix well into meat. Add tomatoes and wine, and mix well. Set aside.
In large bowl, gently fold egg, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese until evenly mixed. Set aside.
Grease bottom and sides of slow cooker with olive oil. Place 1 cup of meat mixture in bottom of pot. Layer three to four uncooked lasagna noodles on top of meat, breaking them if necessary to fit in pot; overlapping is fine. Put one-third of cheese mixture over noodles. Add half of remaining meat mixture, then repeat with three to four noodles and half of remaining cheese. Repeat with layers of meat, noodles and a top layer of cheese.
Cover and cook on low for six hours. Let lasagna sit for at least of 20 minutes before serving to allow it to set.
Excerpt from Easy Garden Recipes, part of the Popular Kitchen Series, with permission from its publisher, BowTie, Inc. Purchase Easy Garden Recipes here.
