Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion
(do not drain)
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages,
onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and saute until sausage
is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces with back of
fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with
juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5
minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper.
Filling:
1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 (15-ounce) container plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor.
Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4
teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just
blended and texture is still chunky.
Assembly:
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
3 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
Nonstick olive oil spray
Preheat oven to 375F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass
baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over
noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup
mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of
sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining
3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with
remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil
spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.
Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven
temperature to 400F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles
thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes.
Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.