Sausage And Mushroom Polenta Lasagna

Total Time: 1 hr 3 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 lb sweet italian sausage
• 1 portabella mushroom, stem removed
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 lemon, zest of
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 (24 ounce) package prepared polenta, cut into 21 disks about 1/4 inch thick (plain or flavored)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450°f.
• 2 preheat a large skillet over med-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter.
• 3 when the butter has melted, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
• 4 while the sausage is starting to brown, cut the portobello mushroom in half and then thinly slice and add to the sausage.
• 5 chop and add to the pan as you go—the onion, garlic, and rosemary.
• 6 season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
• 7 once everything is in the pan, the sausage is browned, and the mushrooms and onions have wilted, add in the chicken stock and lemon juice.
• 8 continue to cook over high heat until the liquids have evaporated—2 to 3 minutes.
• 9 while the sausage and mushrooms are cooking down in the liquid—combine the ricotta cheese, egg, lemon zest, parmigiano, and bread crumbs in a bowl.
• 10 brush an 8-inch springform pan or an 8x8 inch baking dish with a little olive oil; place 7 disks of the polenta on the bottom of the dish.
• 11 if they overlap a little, that is fine (it will vary depending on what kind of dish you are using).
• 12 divide the sausage and mushroom mixture into 3 even portions; do the same with the ricotta mixture.
• 13 using the back of a spoon, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the polenta (don’t make yourself crazy doing this; just mush it out over the polenta).
• 14 top the ricotta with 1/3 of the sausage mixture.
• 15 repeat layers 2 more times, starting with polenta and finishing with sausage mixture.
• 16 sprinkle the top with mozzarella.
• 17 cover the baking dish with foil; place in oven; bake for 15-18 minutes.
• 18 to make sure it is cooked through, insert a knife into the center of the dish, wait a few seconds, then remove it.
• 19 touch the knife to your fingertips and if it is hot, the lasagna is done.
• 20 remove from the springform and serve.
• 21 *sweet and savory polenta “lasagnaâ€?—add ½ cup golden raisins and ½ cup pine nuts at the same time you add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the sausage.
• 22 *sausage, mushroom, and olive polenta—add 4 rounded tablespoons black olive or green olive tapenade to the ricotta cheese along with the egg, lemon zest, parmigiano, and bread crumbs.
• 23 *sausage, mushroom, and pesto polenta—add 4 tablespoons quality pesto to the ricotta along with the egg, lemon zest, parmigiano, and bread crumbs.
• 24 *super mushroom polenta—omit sweet italian sausage, swap dry wine for the chicken broth, add 2 additional portobello mushrooms and 1 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped; add the 2 extra mushrooms along with the original mushroom quantity; add the roasted red pepper to the ricotta mixture.