Lasagna Florentine With Sun-Dried Tomato Marinara

I participated in RSC #11 and after the recipes had posted and the cooking was underway, this idea came to me. The 5 ingredients used from RSC are: sun-dried tomatoes, white wine, Asiago cheese, egg and spinach. Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

• Ready In: 1 hr 39 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• Sun Dried Tomato Marinara Sauce

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped carrot
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
• 4  ounces sun-dried tomatoes, not oil packed
• 1⁄3 cup dry white wine
• 1  teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried basil
•  salt and pepper

• Lasagna

• 9  lasagna noodles, cooked
• 2  cups cream-style cottage cheese
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  grated nutmeg
• 2  tablespoons dried parsley flakes
•  salt and pepper
• 3⁄4 cup asiago cheese, grated, divided
• 3⁄4 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained

Directions

1. For the marinara sauce, heat the olive in oil in a large sauce pan; saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in hot oil for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, wine, fennel seeds and dried basil; reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered until slightly reduced; approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Process in batches in blender until mixture is chopped but not smooth, keep warm while assembling the other ingredients.
4. For the lasagna, place the cottage cheese, egg, nutmeg, parsley flakes and salt/pepper to taste in small mixer bowl, mix until curds begin to break down and mixture is combined well; stir in 1/4 cup of the grated Asiago cheese.
5. To assemble the lasagna, spray a 13x9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, place 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of pan, top with 3 cooked and lightly towel dried lasagna noodles, top with 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the sauce, half the mozzarella cheese, half of the spinach and sprinkle generously with a third portion of the grated Asiago cheese, repeat layer 1 time.
6. End with a layer of noodles topped off with remaining sauce and grated cheese.
7. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 30 to 45 minutes; let stand 10 minutes before serving.
8. This can be assembled ahead and refrigerated until ready to cook; if refrigerated please allow an additional 15 to 20 minutes for the lasagna to cook through.