Lasagna with White Sauce & Italian Sausage

A new twist on an old tried and true classic – Lasagna.  This recipe speaks of true comfort food to satisfy your body and soul.

The creation was sparked all because I had four Italian sausages that needed to be cooked.  Usually, I love them grilled with peppers and onions, but that was not the cast this particular day.  So my brain started churning. Using loaf pans two creations evolved. One with sauteed mushrooms and one with chopped red pepper.

What you’ll need:

• 10 lasagna noodles uncooked (Barilla Oven-ready lasagne noodles – no prior cooking required or for a healthier choice use whole wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles – follow cooking instructions some require boiling first while other brands are oven ready.  Another option is to make your own pasta using Einkorn flour.)
• 4 Italian sausages cooked (I grilled mine) sliced thin
• 24 ounces of cottage cheese
• 8 slices of provolone cheese
• 1 cup of grated Romano cheese
• 1 large sweet onion chopped
• 2 cup of chicken broth or bone broth
• 1/4 Einkorn flour
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 8 ounces sliced portabella mushrooms
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp. Celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 2 loaf pans

Directions for Sauce:

1. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a frying pan.
2. Saute chopped onion a few minutes until almost clear.
3. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano saute a few minutes more.
4. Sprinkle in flour and mix well, it will become thick.
5. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking as you add it.
6. Next, add the heavy cream slowly as you continue to whisk.
7. Simmer for a few minutes so the sauce thickens.
8. Remove from heat until ready to use.

Directions for the Lasagna:

• Saute mushrooms in butter and set aside
• Using both loaf pans spoon a few tablespoons of white sauce on the bottom of each pan
• Set one lasagna noodle on top of the sauce
• Spread a few tablespoons of cottage cheese on top of the noodle
• Placed sliced Italian sausage in a layer
• On one pan add some sauteed mushrooms and the other chopped red peppers
• Tear a slice of provolone in half and place on top of cottage cheese
• Sprinkle some shredding romano cheese next
• Add a few tablespoons of white sauce
• Repeat layering steps
• Final step divide the rest of the white sauce and pour on top of each lasagna
• The mushroom one top with sauteed mushrooms
• Loosely cover each pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
• Remove from oven, uncover and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting

You have created two lasagnas, one with Italian sausage and sauteed mushrooms and one with Italian sausage and chopped red pepper.

Now sit back and enjoy your creations. Bona petite!