Eat Like Ralph --
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Penne Lasagna

My Italian blood often calls out for a good old, solid Italian meal... with pasta.  Sometimes I have the time and wherewithal to prepare the marinara as Joseph (Insalago) taught me so many years ago; I also feel guilty when I don't prepare it that way.  However, time constraints and other, more pressing matters force me to take some shortcuts that save me both time and money, both of which are in short supply lately.  So below is my "quicker recipe" for a dish that is not only great comfort food, it's one that can be made ahead of time -- frozen if necessary -- and then simply popped into the oven 45 minutes to an hour before dinner... allowing for some time to relax and share a Grey Goose and conversation with Lauren...  This dinner is far less expensive than one might think.

shopping list:

• ~ 1/4 Box Barilla Plus Penne pasta ($0.50 -- a box is ~ $2.00; I realize that most lasagna is made with lasagna noodles -- I just like to be different.)
• 1 package Jewel-brand mild Italian sausage ($4.51 for 6 links ~ $0.75 per link; I used 2 links)
• 1/2 small onion (~ $0.25)
• 1 stalk celery (I have no idea as to cost - it was already in the fridge)
• 1/2 cup Shitake mushrooms or ~1.5 oz ($1.00)
• 1 25.5 oz jar Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce ($2.99... normally; I got it on sale for much less than that)
• 1/2 pound Ricotta Cheese ($1.58)
• 1/2 bag Jewel Fresh Parmesan cheese ($1.00 - it was on sale)
• 1/2 bag Jewel part-skim Mozzarella cheese ($1.00 - it was on sale)
• 3 Bay leaves, pinch oregano and basil
• Garden Salad made with romaine (I estimate the cost at ~ $0.50 per person)
   
• Optional: 1/2 bottle Il Valore Chianti from Trader Joe's ($4.99 per bottle or ~ $1.25 per person)

Approximate total cost of the ingredients: ~ $10.00, using the full $2.99 cost for the sauce, although it cost me less...  Depending on your hunger, this will make either 4 very healthy portions ($2.50 each) or 6 nice-sized portions ($1.67 each) without the wine.

Boil water and cook pasta according to directions.  Drain, add a bit of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking; set aside.  Remove the sausage from two of the casings and sauté until browned and most of the fat has been cooked out; drain fat and transfer meat to separate container temporarily.  While the meat is sautéing, finely chop the onion and celery; coarsely chop the shitakes.  Add a bit of olive oil to the pan and add onion, celery and mushrooms, sautéing on medium-high heat until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are soft... about five minutes.  (I love the flavor that shitakes add, but a small can of button mushrooms can be substituted... or even omitted if you prefer to save a bit more)   Add the sausage back in, the red pepper sauce -- or your favorite brand of inexpensive marinara -- and spices (add a couple ounces of the Chianti if you wish) and allow to simmer for a half-hour or so until the flavors have had a chance to meld together.

To assemble, put a layer of pasta into the bottom of a 9-in baking dish.  Cover the pasta with about half of the sauce, and top with the ricotta, then parmesan and finally mozzarella.  Add another layer of pasta -- using the rest of the noodles -- and top with another layer of the remaining sauce, more parmesan and more mozzarella.  When ready, bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the top layer of cheese begins to get brown and bubbly.

Adding the onions, celery, spices and mushrooms will give a jar of "store-bought" sauce a whole new life, the flavor approaching that of homemade.  Add some garlic bread and you're going to see some smiles at the table.  This same dish, if ordered in a restaurant, would likely be found on the menu for around $12-15 and likely more when the "options" are included.  Add a glass of wine (restaurants usually mark up the stuff anywhere from 250-300%) and once again, your weary credit card takes another hit.  Watch for sales on the pasta, sauce and cheese to make this dinner really affordable; making this dinner at home can save some money that can be best used somewhere else.  Bon Appetite!

 
Ralph Pancetta
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