Lasagna (Sausage and Prosciutto)
This is my quick and easy version of white lasagna as I am using Rao’s sauce rather than make my own. White sauce on the other hand requires making from scratch. Lasagna is the perfect make-ahead meal to feed a hungry family. Tender pasta layered with hot Italian sausage meat sauce, prosciutto, Parmesan white sauce and mozzarella.
Sausage Meat Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
12 hot Italian sausages
2 jars Rao’s Tomato Basil Sauce (660 mL)
White Cheese Sauce:
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
4-6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
2 cups milk, room temperature
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
2 cups Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded (~ 8 oz)
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Lasagna:
12 oven-ready lasagna sheets
4 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded (400-500 g)
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
9 thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1" pieces (100 g)
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).
For the Sausage Meat Sauce:
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil. Run your knife down the back of a sausage to open the casings. Squeeze the sausage meat into the pan and discard casing. Fry the sausage meat until browned. Add the Rao’s sauce, stir to combine. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Make-Ahead: Prepare the meat sauce ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Warm the sauce before assembly.
For the White Cheese Sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, 1 cup at a time. Add the broth and bring to a boil, stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses, a ½ cup at a time until well combined and free from lumps.
With the heat on medium, continue cooking the sauce while stirring occasionally until it thickens (~ 6-7 minutes) and coats the back of your wooden spoon. If the sauce is too thick, add some milk. Check for seasonings, adjust if necessary and set aside.
Assembly:
For the first layer, spoon enough meat sauce to cover the base of a 9x13" baking dish, then cover with 4 lasagna sheets. (Trim sheets to fit over the meat if needed.) Cover the lasagna with a layer of meat sauce then top generously with ⅓ of the mozzarella. Repeat, meat sauce, mozzarella, lasagna sheets for 2 more layers.
Lay the fourth layer with lasagna sheets and cover with Parmesan sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and scatter the prosciutto pieces on top like a rose bud for 3 rows of 3.
In a preheated oven bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until the top has bubbled up and is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Makes 6-9 servings.
Cook's Notes:
- To Freeze: Fully cook the lasagna as directed and allow to cool before freezing. Freeze in an airtight container. We typically eat ½ of the pan first and then freeze the remainder.
- To Reheat: Place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated through.
- To Reheat from Frozen: Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until fully heated through. Never put a cold glass pan into a hot oven.
- Variations: Use your imagination and layer anything you like with this formula: Noodle + Sauce + Protein and/or Vegetable + Cheese.