Peppy Lasagna

1 pound Italian sausage - casing

1 can Tomatoes - whole -- cut up

removed & crumbled (16 oz. can) (2 cups) (35 min left) -- (H)elp imported -- if possible More? 1 can Tomato paste - imported

1/2 cup Celery - chopped

(6-oz. can) 1/2 cup Carrot - finely chopped

1 teaspoon Salt - optional -- or to

1/2 teaspoon Oregano - dried -- crushed

taste 10 ounce Lasagna noodles - (I cook

1/2 teaspoon Pepper - freshly ground

the whole pound so I DIVIDED have enough whole noodles 3 cup Ricotta - OR cream-style

to use) cottage cheese 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - imported

2 tablespoon Parsley - snipped

freshly grated (35 min left) -- (H)elp 2 Eggs - beaten

More? 16 ounce Mozzarella - imported

1/2 cup Onion - chopped

thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS ------------------------------------------------------------ In skillet, cook sausage, onion, celery and carrot until meat is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, oregano and the first 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook lasagna according to package; drain well. Combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, parsley and remaining pepper. Place half the noodles in a greased 13-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 1-3/4-inch baking dish. Spread with half the cheese filling; add half the mozzarella, and half the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, in 375F oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares to serve. Serves 10 to 12. (35 min left), (H)elp, More? Note to unsuccessful lasagna makers: This recipe worked for a 14-year-old as written above! Note: I can`t remember where I got this recipe as it was early highschool. It was the first lasagna I ever made, and as I told some of you already, my father went all over town, getting me the best Italian sausage (at Puglia`s Grocery) and freshly grated imported Parmesan and whole milk mozzarella (at Central Grocery in the French Quarter). It was quite good and my dad loved it! I find most lasagna recipes, as I did this one, lacking in sauce, as I like them juicy. If any of you were to make this, as I did again many years later for Brian, I would recommend making more sauce by adding more Italian sausage, more tomato sauce (add some fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, OR some sun-dried tomatoes), about 1/4 cup red wine, a clove or two of garlic, and a tad more (35 min left), (H)elp, More? seasoning. I would add a few drops of Tabasco or hot sauce as well as some Italian seasoning. If the sauce turns out too thick, I would thin with more red wine or some chicken broth for those of you who avoid alcohol. The funny thing about this dish is though it turned out great and my father raved, I was disappointed as I really wanted "traditional" Italian lasagna with ground meat sauce instead of the Italian sausage. (The anise flavor of the Italian sausage was something I was not yet used to, and Puglia`s sausage was heavy on the anise.) I continued to make lasagna for my dad, but I don`t think I ever made this type again. About 20 years later I made it for Brian when I got nostalgic about my father, and he, too, liked it better than the "traditional" <many bittersweet smiles that night>! Converted by MMCONV vers. 1.10