Random Food Fridays - Basic Covey Family Lasagna

A speedy photo during Wednesday night dinner with Pat and Bill.

Lasagna is one of those dishes that everyone can and should make. Even the most novice kitchen adventurers should be able to execute this dish with aplomb. Those with more daring and experience can make it their own unique creation. If it's yummy and can be layered, it can be lasagnaed!

Lasagna mes en plas.

This is the traditional Covey family basic lasagna - Italian sausage and mushrooms in red sauce, seasoned ricotta, grated Italian cheeses and noodles.
Simply prepare the ingredients and layer away. I made this one, froze it and took it to the in-laws for one of our weeknight visits. Delish!

Basic Covey Family Lasagna

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 large shallot, diced

1 large clove of garlic, minced

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup wine, divided

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

hand full of chopped parsley

grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

12 oz. grated Italian cheese blend

9 lasagna noodles

Set a large pot of salted water to boil for the noodles. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Remove the casings from the sausage and break it up into the hot skillet. Add the shallots, garlic, mushrooms and allow all to cook down and brown. Add 1/4 cup of wine to deglaze the pan. Add the spaghetti sauce. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of wine to swish the sauce out of the jar. Check the sauce for seasoning. Doctor it up to your own tastes. We often add a healthy amount of cracked black pepper.

For the ricotta cheese filling, place the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, and a few grates of fresh nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain.

Layer the ingredients in the pan like this:

Layer - Ingredient

1 - 1/4 of sauce

2 - 3 noodles

3 - 1/4 of sauce

4 - 1/2 of ricotta cheese filling

5 - 1/3 of grated cheese

6 - 3 noodles

7 - 1/4 of sauce

8 - 1/2 of ricotta cheese filling

9 - 1/3 of grated cheese

10 - noodles

11 - remaining 1/4 of sauce

12 - final 1/3 of grated cheese

Cover and freeze for later use or bake in a 350 oven until browned and bubbly - 20-30 minutes.

If frozen, thaw before baking.

Makes 6 Covey servings or 12 normal servings.