Sausage, Pancetta And Portobello Lasagna

This lasagna recipe is an old standby ~ always a crowd pleaser and a great make-ahead meal for company. The pancetta and baby portobello mushrooms pump up the flavor of the meat layers and the asiago and pecorino romano add just the right bite to the cheese layers.

Baked Lasagna Recipe
Baked Lasagna Recipe

Sausage, Pancetta And Portobello Lasagna

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Lasagna, richly flavored with pancetta and portobello mushrooms is a great make-ahead dinner for a crowd.

Ingredients

For the meat mixture:

  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
  • 1/4 lb pancetta, finely minced
  • 4-5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 container (26-ounce) diced tomatoes, with liquid
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated asiago cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

For the cheese mixture:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 container (15-ounce) part-skim ricotta
  • 1-1/4 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated asiago cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • A few grinds of fresh black pepper

For the assembly:

  • 20 no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage meat, breaking it up with a spatula as finely as possible. Add the pancetta, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, oregano and black pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the asiago and romano cheeses.
  3. While the meat mixture simmers, beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl. Add the ricotta, mozzarella, asiago and romano cheeses. Combine thoroughly. Stir in the chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  5. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch casserole very thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle about 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread around to coat the bottom of the pan.
  6. Arrange 4 no-boil lasagna noodles over the tomato sauce, overlapping by about 1/2-inch. Top with 1/2 of the sausage mixture and spread evenly over the noodles. Arrange 4 more noodles over the meat and spread on 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Top with 4 more noodles, spread the remaining meat, add another layer of noodles and top with the balance of the cheese mixture. Cover with the last of the noodles and press down very gently to compress.
  7. Ladle the remaining 2/3 cup tomato sauce over the noodles, spreading it all the way to the edges to moisten them.
  8. Cover tightly and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the lasagna, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

You will need two packages of the no-boil lasagna noodles for this recipe because most only come with 12 noodles in the package. My favorite brand is Barilla because they are relatively thin and not overly doughy.

Try to break up the sausage meat as finely as possible to achieve a more delicate texture in the finished product.

© Lynne Webb
Category: Main Dish Recipes