Recipe of the Week: Lasagna Soup

“Once again, my life has been saved by the miracle of lasagna.” ~'Garfield' (Jim Davis)

Ah lasagna...you cheesy, saucy little minx...I do adore you. And now that I have found a recipe combining you with another of my great loves (soup) I may just have died and gone to foodie heaven. The component that truly makes this soup sing is the cheesy mixture. Ricotta, Parmesan and Mozzarella...oh my!

The original recipe calls for the pasta to be cooked in the soup but I cooked the pasta seperately. If you are planning on having leftovers you don't want the pasta to get mushy. Ground beef can also be substituted for the Italian sausage and if you don't like tomato chunks use crushed tomatoes. 

Buon appetito!

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

For Soup:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. Sweet Italian sausage
• 2 cups chopped Vidalia onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 8 oz. Cavatappi pasta
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Cheesy Mixture:

• 8 oz. Ricotta
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Few grinds black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add sausage and brown, then cut into bite sized pieces.
• Add onions and cook until softened.
• Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add tomato paste and stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in diced tomatoes and chicken stock.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cook the pasta separately, and then add pasta to individual bowls.
• In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
• To serve, place a spoonful of the cheesy mixture on top of the pasta, top with some Mozzarella and ladle the hot soup over.

*Adapted from 300 Sensational Soups (Carla Snyder and Meredit Deeds)