Ravioli Lasagna

I love Italian food and have a couple of delicious recipes for lasagna and baked ziti, but they are both fairly involved, so I rarely take the time to make them. After reading Candace's post with her modifications for Food & Wine's Vegetable and Ravioli Lasagna, I knew I had to give it a try. This one's a winner and couldn't be any easier! I've fixed it so many times, I can do it in my sleep. Seriously, I'm pretty sure I've made it at least a half dozen times since I first read about it on Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking. My family, friends and neighbors all thank you, Candace!

Ravioli Lasagna

(Photo Credit: Food & Wine)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 mild Italian pork sausages (6 ounces), casing removed

1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, or vegetable pasta sauce

1/2 cup water

2 (14-ounce) packages fresh cheese ravioli

1 (14-ounce) package fresh spinach-and-cheese ravioli

12 ounces (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (3-quart baking dish).

In a large flying pan, cook sausage over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the accumulated fat and add the marinara sauce and the water, simmering for 5 minutes.

Add all the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the ravioli and return them to the pot. Add the sausage marinara mixture and toss gently to coat the ravioli.

Spoon one-third of the ravioli and sauce into the baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Repeat two more times (to make three layers in total).

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove the foil and bake 25 minutes until browned and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My Notes:

Any type of ravioli works well for this recipe. I even found some with Italian sausage, which saved me a step and ingredients. I have used cheese tortellini instead of one of the packages of ravioli, as well. If the leftovers are a little dry, just heat some marinara and spoon over each serving.

Adapted from Food & Wine (found on Beth Fish Reads)

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