Uncle Vito's Stuffed Lasagna
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Sumptuous cheesy, bubbly goodness stuffed with sweetly spiced Italian sausage.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 16 sheets of uncooked lasagna noodles
  • 1 recipe Simple Italian Meat Sauce or any meat sauce you prefer
  • 1 pound sweet Italian link sausage, fresh or precooked
  • 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1½ - 2 cups Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
  • 1-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1-15 oz. carton ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Pinch grated nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a 5-quart dutch oven or large stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add one Tablespoon salt.
  3. While the water is coming to a boil, drain the spinach, and saute in a small skillet until the spinach is dry. Put spinach in a colander lined with a paper towel or cheesecloth, drain and squeeze to remove any additional liquid.
  4. In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, beaten eggs, spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until all is combined. Set aside.
  5. In a small skillet, brown the sausage. If using bulk sausage, break into chunks. If using link sausage, cook then cut into ½" rounds. Make sure raw sausage is thoroughly cooked. If using precooked sausage, cut into rounds and brown to help intensify flavors. Set aside.
  6. Grate the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses into separate bowls. Set aside.
  7. Cook the lasagna noodles four sheets at a time. Noodles should be boiled one minute less than package instructions to retain some firmness in the pasta.
  8. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the boiling water. Drain on a sheet tray lined with paper towels. Take an extra paper towel and blot excess water from the tops of the noodles.
  9. To assemble the lasagna:
  10. Take a 9x13 pan, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
  11. Ladle one scoop of meat sauce, and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan.
  12. Layer three lasagna noodles lenthwise in the pan. Cut the fourth noodle into pieces to fit across the top, so the entire meat sauce layer is covered with pasta.
  13. Coat the pasta with shredded mozzarella. By tablespoonsful, dollop the spinach/ricotta mixture evenly over the surface. Add a single layer of sausage. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Ladle two scoops of meat sauce over the top. Cover with another layer of noodles. Gently press the noodle layers down so the layer is even.
  14. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used. Reserve ¼ of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
  15. End with a pasta layer. Top with remaining meat sauce. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
  16. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Remove the foil. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Return to the oven, uncovered. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the lasagna is gently bubbling in the center.
  17. Remove lasagna to a cooking rack, and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve with plenty of extra grated Parmesan cheese, garlic bread, and/or a leafy green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 12
Recipe by At Mimi's Table at https://atmimistable.com/uncle-vitos-stuffed-lasagna/