Lasagne with Turkey & Fresh Tomato Sauce
Submitted by soitoux
Turkey lasagne with a fresh Roma tomato sauce, ricotta, and Parmesan. Ground turkey browned with red wine and oregano layered between noodles and creamy ricotta.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
60 minThis lasagne swaps ground beef for turkey and ditches jarred sauce entirely. You build the tomato sauce from scratch with fresh Roma tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano. It simmers for just 10 minutes, so the sauce stays bright and fresh-tasting rather than thick and heavy.
The turkey gets browned until the fat renders out, then hit with red wine that cooks off completely. That wine step concentrates the turkey’s flavor and adds depth that ground turkey usually lacks on its own.
Layers of ricotta thinned with hot water make it easy to spread between the noodles without tearing them. A final pour of melted butter over the top Parmesan layer gives the finished lasagne a golden, crisp crust after 15 minutes in a hot oven.
Chef Tips
- Use Roma (plum) tomatoes for the sauce. They have less water and more flesh than regular tomatoes, so the sauce thickens faster.
- Break up the turkey thoroughly while browning. Large clumps make for uneven layers.
- Lay cooked noodles on a damp cloth to prevent sticking while you assemble. This trick from the recipe is key.
- Let the lasagne rest 5-10 minutes after baking so it holds together when you cut.
Variations
- Add a layer of sauteed spinach between the ricotta and meat sauce for extra vegetables.
- Use ground chicken in place of turkey for an even milder flavor.
- Mix shredded mozzarella into the ricotta for a stretchier, cheesier pull.
Ingredients
Directions
To make sauce, core tomatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
Put tomatoes in food processor and blend until coarsely chopped.(There should be about 4 cups.)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet; add 2 tablespoons garlic.
Cook briefly but do not brown.
Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon fresh oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
To prepare lasagne, heat 2 tablespoons oil in non-stick skillet; add turkey.
Cook, stirring to break up meat, until lightly browned.
Add 1 teaspoon garlic, stir; add wine.
Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until wine evaporates.
Add tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook lasagne in salted water, according to instructions on package, adding lasagne strips one at a time.
Cook until tender.
Add cold water to cool.
Drain, and spread strips one at a time on a damp cloth.
Lightly grease a 2-quart oblong baking dish .
Add a layer of lasagne.
Beat ricotta with hot water to make it spreadable.
Spread about ⅓ of ricotta over lasagne.
Spread a layer of meat sauce over ricotta and sprinkle about ¼ of Parmesan cheese over top.
Continue making layers, ending with a layer of lasagne.
Sprinkle with remaining Permesan cheese.
Pour melted butter over all.
Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 15 minutes or until lasagne is piping hot and bubbling.
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