Pepperoni Studded Lasagna

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 lbs lasagna sheets
• 2 cups hand cut 1/8 inch slices pepperoni
• 1 lb ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 lbs bulk italian sausage, cooked
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 5 medium garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 cups skinned and dice roma tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
• salt & pepper

Recipe

• 1 make sauce first - see below.
• 2 preheat over to 375 degrees.
• 3 boil 6 qts water, add pinch of slat and cook pasta to almost done. remove from water and shock in ice bath.
• 4 in medium sauce pan add pepperoni and saute over medcium heat until crispy. remove from heat and drain on a paper towel.
• 5 in a 10 x 14 x 3 baking pan or dish, pour 1 cup of tomato sauce in bottom and around side.
• 6 layer lasagna sheets on the bottom of the pan overlapping by 1/2 inch. add 1/3 amt. of ricotta, 1/3 amt of mozzarella, 1/3 amt of sausage, then sprinkle generously with the parmesan, add 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of pepperoni. repeat this 2 more times.
• 7 on the very top sheet, top with remaining ricotta, tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and dust with parmesan. bake for approx 45 minutes. remove from oven, let sit 15 minutes.
• 8 tomato sauce - in sauce pan, heat olive oil. add onion and cook over medium to low heat until transparent. add garlic and cook until almost brown. then add tomatoes and cook for 1/2 hour over low to medium heat. add the basil and oregano and continue to cook for another 1/2 hour. season to taste with salt & pepper.