http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2011/03/24/lasagna-soup/
I made this soup tonight for dinner, and it was a hit. The kids loved it! That's always a plus in my book. And, it wasn't too difficult to make! Give it a try. A few things: I just used egg noodles instead of what it called for, I didn't use basil leaves - just added some dried basil, and I did add the noodles the last 5 minutes of cooking.
for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat olive oil in a large pot over
medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown
for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6
minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes,
or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and
chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and
simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do
not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this
point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You
may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then
adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This
would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy
yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle
the hot soup over the cheese.
Servings: 8
