Pizza-Lasagna

This goes down a treat for both kids and adults. It smells just like pizza when it is baking, (which drives my little gals crazy) and leaves plates practically licked clean.


Ricotta
Parmesan, freshly grated
Eggs
Uncooked lasagna pasta sheets
Dry oregano
Tomato sauce (homemade is best, see easy recipe below)
Sliced pepperoni
Shredded mozzarella

1) Make the sauce: Over medium heat, saute a few cloves of minced garlic in some olive oil until fragrant, then chuck in a small yellow onion that has been chopped small. Continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Pour in a big tin or jar of crushed tomtaoes plus a tin of cherry or chopped tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes.

3) While you are waiting for the sauce to cook:  Mix ricotta with Parmesan (at a ratio of about 4 parts ricotta to 1 part Parmesan). Whip up an egg or two and stir them into the ricotta, (I used one egg for a lasagna that served 8.)

4) Season the simmered sauce with salt and red pepper flakes (if you like), then dump in a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil and a fat pinch of dry oregano. Stir and remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 375F (180C). Laddel some of the sauce into a rectangular baking dish to cover the bottom.


5) Spread or pipe the ricotta mixture onto the sheets of pasta. Place one layer of ricotta-covered pasta sheets (cheese side-up) on the bottom of the dish, then layer with pepperoni, another layer of ricotta pasta sheets, then sauce- plenty of sauce. Repeat this pattern until the dish is full up. Smother the top with shredded mozzarella-- do NOT be stingy with the cheese! If you have any extra Parmesan, sprinkle that over the top, too.

Bake until golden, gooey and bubbling. Can TOTALLY be assmebled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a day, until ready to bake.