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lasagna

A (Really ) Nice Lasagna

Simple yes, but nothing is lost in this fabulous icon of comfort food.  Tomato sauce and creme fraiche are combined for a rich, creamy layer, and the fresh pasta cuts down the prep time dramatically.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword basil, creme fraiche, hot italian sausage, lasagna
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 19 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 28 oz (796 ml) cans of whole peeled tomatoes I have used two quart (4 cup) jars of whole tomatoes many times, see Notes
  • 3 tbsp EV olive oil
  • 450 grams hot Italian sausages (4 medium), or 625 grams for a thicker sauce remove filling from the casings. See Notes This can be omitted for a light vegetarian version
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp dry Italian seasoning, crushed between your fingers
  • 1 tsp hot pepper flakes optional
  • 1 cup creme fraiche see notes below
  • 2 pkgs fresh lasagna sheets, approx 12 oz or 350 grams each
  • 2 cup (150 g) finely grated parmesan cheese feel free to use more if you want!
  • 1.5 cup (150 g) coarsely grated whole milk mozzarella cheese feel free to use more if you want!
  • 2 large handfuls of fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces if large

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl crush the tomatoes with your hands (messy but so much fun!) until they are small bite size pieces

  2. In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the meat and then the garlic.  Break up the meat into small pieces and let cook through till just getting a slight crispness to it.  Omit this step if preparing a veggie version.

  3. Add the tomatoes and 1 tsp of salt, Italian seasoning, and the hot pepper flakes.  The amount you use may depend on how spicy the sausages are that you are using!

    Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer, stirring every so often until it is slightly reduced, about 30 minutes.  Stir to ensure that the tomatoes aren't getting scorched at the bottom of the pot.

    You will want to cover it partially until the simmer reduces, or else tomato juice will be plopping everywhere!  But don't keep the lid on for too long- you want the excess water to evaporate off, not drip back into the pot. Alternatively you can use a spatter guard which will let the steam escape but keep the juices inside.

  4. Whisk the creme fraiche into the sauce. Re-season with salt if necessary.  Set the sauce aside to cool to room temperature.

  5. Preheat the oven to 400F

    Ladle a thin layer of the sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 (23x33 cm) baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.  Spread the sauce with a spoon to cover evenly.

  6. Add a layer of the pasta sheets to cover in a an even layer (you shouldn't need to overlap the pasta)

    Spoon over this, just enough sauce to cover the pasta. Then scatter some of all the cheeses over the sauce.  Then sprinkle some basil leaves over the cheese.

  7. Repeat the layering process until you have used up all of your components, ending with sauce and cheese on top. (you don't want naked lasagna!)

  8. Bake the lasagna uncovered, until it is gorgeously browned and bubbling (35-40 minutes)  If not crispy enough, try turning on the broiler for just a few minutes (but watch it)  I didn't need to do this though.

  9. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.  This lets the pasta fully absorb the bubbling sauce, so that you don't end up with soupy slices. It even tastes better if you bake it off early in the day and then reheat before serving!

Recipe Notes

To make Creme Fraiche:

Combine 1 cup of whipping cream with 2 tbsp of buttermilk or kefir in a small bowl or jar.  Let this sit on the counter for at least 24 hours, with the lid just sitting gently on top.  At first it will seem like nothing's happening.  But then suddenly it will begin to thicken.  When it is fully thickened, you can transfer it to the fridge.  The cooler your kitchen is, the longer it will take to thicken up.

Feel free to use crushed tomatoes if that is all you have on hand. You can substitute half of the sausage meat with ground beef, or use all ground beef, turkey etc.

Vegetarian Version:

Add 1 large onion, sliced thinly when cooking the garlic.  Then add 1-2 coarsely grated carrots and let them just soften in the oil.  Then add the crushed tomatoes.

Gently sauté up spinach, grated zucchini or broccoli rabe, mushrooms, thinly diced  or sliced butternut squash (or a combo thereof) to create 1 1/2- 2 cups of veggies.  Add some of this to each layer after the sauce but before the cheese.

Adapted from Small Victories by Julia Turshen