To start the year off, I decided to make a turkey lasagna, a much skinnier version of my Spicy Bolognese Lasagna. Because we had a tight schedule, I actually made it the night before so that we could all eat at a reasonable hour :0)
What you need:
– 1.5 lb lean ground turkey
– 3 carrots
– 1 small onion
– 4 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
– 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
– 3/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
– 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julian sliced
– 16 oz of ricotta cheese
– 1 1/2 – 2 cups of parmesan cheese, grated
– 1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
– 1 box of Barilla No-Boil Flat “Home-style” Lasagna
– salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
– chili flakes, to taste
– oregano or Italian seasoning, to taste
– garlic powder, to taste (if needed)
– olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
In food processor add the onion and carrots. Blend thoroughly.
Heat a large skillet with olive oil and then brown the turkey while seasoning with salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano. Set aside.
Heat a large pot with olive oil until hot, then add the onions, carrots and garlic. Cook on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, until the mixtures starts to brown a bit, then reduce the heat to medium and add the turkey to the pot.
Stir the turkey in and add the tomatoes, tomato paste and about a 1/2 cup – 1 cup of water. Mix well and add additional seasonings – salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano/Italian seasoning – to taste.
Let the sauce simmer a bit while adding more water if needed. You may also add about 3/4 cup of wine and a couple bay leaves but you will need to make sure to reserve at least 45 min to an hour + for the wine to reduce and let the flavors combine. Add half of the parsley about 5 minutes prior to assembling the lasagna.
Combine the remaining parsley with the ricotta and half of the parmesan in a small bowl.
Get ready to assemble!
In a baking dish, spread approximately 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom and arrange a layer of pasta, lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, sprinkle of mozzarella, sprinkle of basil, and then sauce. REPEAT. On top of the last sauce layer, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top to completely cover your lasagna.
Pop in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes and then reduce to 350 degrees for another 15-25 minutes, until the cheese is brown and somewhat crispy around the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Happy New Year!
the Seattle Cook 