Meat Lasagna with Spinach and Sausage

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

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Classic Lasagna
Photography by Matthew Kimura

This recipe makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb (250 g) lasagna noodles 1/2 1/2lb (250 g) lb (250 g)lasagna noodles
1 pkg chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dry1 1pkg pkgchopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 2cups cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 1/4cup cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese
Meat Filling:
1/2 lb Italian sausage 1/2 1/2lb lbItalian sausage
1/2 lb ground beef 1/2 1/2lb lbground beef
1 onion , chopped1 1onion, chopped
1 carrot , chopped1 1carrot, chopped
1 celery , chopped1 1celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic , minced4 4cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tspdried oregano
1-1/2 tsp dried basil 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tspdried basil
1 pinch hot pepper flakes 1 1pinch pinchhot pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) tomatoes , undrained1 1can (28 oz/796 mL) can (28 oz/796 mL)tomatotomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz/398 ml) tomato sauce 1 1can (14 oz/398 ml) can (14 oz/398 ml)tomato sauce
1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tsppepper
Cheese Filling:
2 eggs 2 2eggeggs
1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tsppepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 1/4tsp tspnutmeg
2 cups cottage cheese 2 2cups cupscottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 1cup cupshredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 1/2cup cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Meat Filling: Remove sausage from casing; crumble meat. In Dutch oven, cook sausage and beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with back of spoon, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink; remove to plate. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fat from pot.

Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, basil and hot pepper flakes, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and meat; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, breaking up tomatoes and stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes or until thickened. Add pepper.

Cheese Filling: In bowl, beat together eggs, pepper and nutmeg. Blend in cottage cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for 6 to 8 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and place in cold water. Arrange in single layer on damp tea towel.

Spread 1 cup (250 mL) of the meat filling as base in greased 13- x 9-inch (3 L) baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles in single layer; spread with one-third of the remaining meat filling. Spread with half of the cheese filling, then half of the spinach. Starting with noodles, repeat layers once.

Top with remaining noodles; spread with remaining meat filling. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil; bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.