Spinach and Sausage Lasagna Roll Ups

comfort food

Lasagna, a warm, comforting, filling meal. Worth every minute in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 lb Mild Italian Sausage

• 5 Garlic Cloves Minced

• 1 Onion Diced

• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning

• 2 oz. Double Concentrated Tomato Paste

• 28 oz. Crushed Tomatoes

• 1 Cup Water from Tomato Can

• 1 & 1/2 Cups Spinach Chopped

• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

• Parmesan Rind

• 2 Bay Leaves

• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

• Salt

• Pepper

• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Ricotta Filling Ingredients:

• 16oz Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

• 1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

• 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Mozzarella Cheese

• 1 egg

• 1/2 Cup Spinach Chopped

• Salt and Pepper

Lasagna Assembly Ingredients:

• 6-8 Lasagna Pieces or 3-4 sheets fresh dough

• 1 & 1/2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese

How I made it:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In an oven safe braiser over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once heated add italian sausage, break up into small pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Once 3/4 of the way cooked through add onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes.

Add garlic. Season with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. Add tomato paste. Cook until bright red turns a rust color. Add Crushed tomatoes and add about one cup of water from the canned tomatoes to get all of the flavor out. Bring to a simmer. Give a light pinch of salt, two bay leaves , and a parmesan rind. Cover loosely and simmer on low for 25 minutes. Uncover, remove bay leaves and parmesan rind. Add chopped spinach and heavy cream. 

To make the ricotta mixture combine all ingredients until fully incorporated together. 

Assemble the roll ups. You could use raw lasagna sheets or boxed. If using boxed, boil for 2 minutes under the package instructions and run under cold water to pause the cooking process. 

Layer a light layer of ricotta and then a layer of sauce. Roll up into pinwheels. Place roll ups into the braiser. Covering each one heavily with sauce. Finish off with a layer of mozzarella cheese. 

Bake covered at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and broil to get a nice brown gold top(~3-4 minutes). Garnish with parsley.

Happy Eating! -Kristen Faith :)