Recipe(tried): Smoked Cheese and Sausage Lasagna

Smoked Cheese and Sausage Lasagna
Servings: 12

SAUCE:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
2 ounces prosciutto, sliced & chopped
2 cups chopped onion
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried

LASAGNA:
12 lasagna noodles (10x2-inch)
15 ounces ricotta cheese, part skim milk
2 cups coarsely grated smoked mozzarella cheese
1 large egg
olive oil for brushing baking dish

FOR SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage; saute until browned, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add prosciutto, stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and next 4 ingredients. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, basil, and sausage mixture. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

FOR LASAGNA: Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Stir ricotta and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mix in egg.

Brush 13x9x2 glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles atop sauce. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture thinly over noodles. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture and sauce 2 more times. Cover with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Preheat over to 350. Bake lasagna, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

NOTES : Excellent! Very good flavor and different from the typical lasagna. My changes: I used Italian turkey sausage and about 4 ounces of prosciutto. I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, total. I omitted the celery, used only half an onion, and used dried basil for the sauce. I added about 1/3 cup tomato sauce to the sauce, as it was rather dry. Instead of using olive oil on the baking dish, I coated it with nonstick spray. I used half smoked mozzarella and half provolone, with good results. You could taste the smoked flavor, but it was subtle and not overpowering. Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2004