Italian Meats and Poultry Recipes - Red Pepper Lasagna

Ingredients                      

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 12-ounce jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained and cut into bite-size strips

• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 cup snipped fresh basil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces bulk Italian sausage, browned and drained

• 1/3 cup butter or margarine

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups milk

• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles

• 1 1/4 cups finely shredded Parmesan cheese (5 ounces)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For red pepper sauce, in a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pepper strips; cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic, black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring often. Stir in cooked sausage. Set aside to cool.

2. For white sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Set aside to cool.

3. To assemble, grease the bottom of a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Cover bottom of dish with three of the lasagna noodles. Spread about 1 cup of the red pepper sauce over the lasagna noodles in baking dish.

4. Top with 3/4 cup of the white sauce, spreading evenly; sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat three more times. Be sure the top layer of noodles is completely covered with sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and light brown on top. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.