Lasagna - adaptable for Casein Free

Don't think that just because you have to eat gluten free that you cannot have lasagna.  The following is a mouth-watering recipe that you will love and it tastes equally as great with the dairy free cheese option for those who also need to eat casein free. 

Dig in and enjoy!

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 pound sausage (you can use turkey, pork or chicken - we like it with a breakfast, which is sweeter, turkey sausage)  Beelers is gluten free
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 T dried parsley or 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 T basil leaves or 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• optional - 2 cups packed, de-stemmed chopped kale
• kosher salt
• pepper
• 1 box Tinkyada gluten free lasagna noodles (De Boles makes a no cook gluten free noodle. Using these eliminates the need to cook the noodles first, but I have heard they tend to be a little dry so you'd want to add more tomato sauce. They seem to sell Tinkyada everywhere now, but you can also order them from glutenfree.com. 
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese **use the dairy free "cheese" option for casein free
• 6 ounces Italian blend shredded cheese  use the **dairy free "cheese" option for casein free
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cook noodles until just done according to package directions - do not overcook.  Rinse with cold water and sprinkle with some olive oil to try and keep them from sticking. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the sausage and cook until it is no longer pink ( 8 to 10 minutes).  If you are going to use the Kale, add it about 5 minutes into cooking the sausage.  It really does not change the taste of the lasagna, but if your kids will eat something that is "green" this is a great way to sneak in some very healthy veggies. 

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper.  Simmer uncovered over medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

***Note - if you want to make this really easy, then replace the tomatoes and spices with a good gluten free spaghetti sauce such as Amy's Roasted Garlic.  Then reduce the simmer time to 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, all but 1/4 cup of the Italian cheese blend, egg, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 x 12 inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. 

Next add the layers as follows:

half the pasta (if it is sticking add some olive oil to loosen)

half the cheese mixture, **use 1/2 the dairy free "cheese" option for casein free

one third the sauce,

rest of the pasta,

rest of the cheese mixture, **use 1/2 the dairy free  "cheese" option for casein free

rest of the sauce. 

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend. **for casein free, top with a thin layer of the dairy free "cheese" option and then sprinkle with bread crumbs if you have them. 

Bake for 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.