Grilled Vegetable and Sausage Lasagna

Over the weekend I made a huge pot of my favorite zesty marinara. JJ said he was in the mood for lasagna, so I whipped this up with what I had on hand. I decided to make homemade lasagna noodles because I didn't want to go buy any. I also decided to grill up some veggies and throw them in the lasagna to bulk it up and make it healthier. I added some bulk vegetarian sausage, but any variety would be great, or you can just leave it out.

Grilled Vegetable and Sausage Lasagna

with Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta

1 batch of whole wheat pasta (recipe below)

3 cups zesty marinara (recipe below)

8 oz. ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 lb. bulk sausage

1 eggplant, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

3 summer squash, sliced

3 roasted red bell peppers, quartered

Whole Wheat Pasta:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup AP flour

2 eggs, beaten

pinch of salt

1-4 tbsp. water

Add flour to a bowl, make a well and pour eggs into the middle, sprinkle with salt.

Use a fork and whisk flour into eggs.

Begin kneading with hand, add water 1 tbsp. at a time.

Rest dough for 15 minutes.

Use a pasta roller and run dough through, sprinkling with flour to prevent sticking.

Lay on a cutting board of cooling wrack for 10 minutes.

Zesty Marinara:

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 yellow onion, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. fennel seed

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

½ c. dry red wine

2 28 oz. cans organic crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce1

5 oz. can organic tomato paste

In a saucepot over medium low, add EVOO, onion and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper.

Sweat onions and garlic for 5 minutes.

Turn heat to high, add red wine, reduce by half, turn to low, add spices and tomatoes.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook off sheets of pasta.

Grill vegetables, season with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish, lay pasta sheets on top.

Layer on vegetables, ricotta, sausage and a layer of sauce.

Repeat for 2 more layers.

Top the last layer of noodles with sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and brown.