Lasagna with Ricotta and Sausage

Lasagna with ricotta and sausage is a hearty and tasty dish, a variation of the classic Italian dish. Here is the recipe to make delicious lasagna with ricotta and sausage:

Ingredients

• 250 g of egg lasagna sheets (about 12 sheets, depending on the size of your baking dish)
• 500 g of sausage (pork is best)
• 400 g of ricotta
• 1 egg
• 150 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 500 ml of tomato purée
• 150 ml of red wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Butter for greasing the dish
• Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Start with the preparation of the sausage ragù. Remove the casing from the sausage and crumble it. Finely chop the onion and the garlic cloves. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the onion and garlic until they become translucent.
2. Add the crumbled sausage and let it brown until it takes on color.
3. Deglaze with the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Then add the tomato purée, adjust with salt and pepper, lower the flame, and cook for about 30 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. While the ragù is cooking, mix the ricotta with the egg, 100 g of Parmesan, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. This mixture will be the creamy heart of your lasagna.
5. Once the sausage ragù is ready, start assembling the lasagna. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and grease a baking dish with butter.
6. Spread a layer of ragù on the bottom of the dish, then place a layer of lasagna sheets, cover with some ricotta cream, and sprinkle with some Parmesan.
7. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, ending with sausage ragù and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.
8. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.
9. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if you wish to add a touch of color and freshness.

Curiosity

Lasagna lends itself very well to many variations, and the addition of ricotta gives the dish a unique softness and creaminess. In some Italian regions, grated pecorino is preferred over Parmesan for a bolder flavor, and some enhance the dish with mozzarella or béchamel to make it even more indulgent. You can play with these ingredients according to your personal taste.