Lasagna with Chicken and Peppers

• Ready In: 6 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 30

Ingredients

• PEPPER SAUCE

• 6  red bell peppers
• 6  yellow bell peppers
• 15  cups  canned Italian plum tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon fresh herb (savory, sage thyme or rosemary. minced)
• 4  onions
• 4  cloves garlic
• 1⁄2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

• CHICKEN SAUCE

• 4  onions
• 4  cloves garlic
• 1⁄2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 6  lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 lb prosciutto, sliced
• 1⁄2 lb butter
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup white flour
• 6  cups  chicken stock
• 2  cups heavy cream

• NOODLES AND CHEESE

• 4  lbs  fresh  spinach lasagna noodles or 3  lbs  dried lasagna pasta
• 1⁄2 lb parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups grated)
• 2  lbs Fontina cheese

Directions

1. For pepper sauce: halve and seed the peppers and cut into 1/2 inch dice.
2. Seed and chop the tomatoes, reserving 1 cup of juice.
3. Mince 1 tablespoon herbs.
4. For both the pepper and chicken sauce, mince the 8 onions, 8 cloves garlic.
5. Chop 2 cup parsley and 1/2 cup basil.
6. For the pepper sauce, heat olive oil in large frying pan.
7. Add half of the onions and pepper and cook until soft, aobut 15 mins.
8. Add the tablespoon of minced herbs and half of the garlic, parsley, basil and cook about 2 mins.
9. Add tomatoes and reserved 1 cup juice and cook until most of the liquid had evaporated, about 15 mins.
10. Season to taste.
11. The pepper sauce can be made one week ahead.
12. For chicken sauce, trim the chicken breasts of fat and connective tissue and season with salt and pepper.
13. Cut the prosciutto in 1/2 inch pieces.
14. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
15. Sear the chicken about 2 minutesa side until well browned, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding.
16. Reduce heat, return all chicken to pan and simmer until barely cooked through, about 10 minutes.
17. Remove from pan and cool.
18. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch dice.
19. In the same frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and briefly saute ham and remaining garlic, parsley and basil until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
20. Add to chicken.
21. In the same pan used to cook the chicken and ham, heat remaining 6 oz of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
22. Add the remaining onions and peppers.
23. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
24. Whisk in flour and cook for 4 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.
25. Whisk in chicken stock and bring to a boil.
26. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
27. Add the chicken mixture and heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
28. Chicken sauce can be made several days ahead.
29. Boil the spinach noodles according to package directions and cook until tender.
30. If using fresh, cook in batches for about 2 minutes a batch.
31. Remove lasagne to a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking, then to a damp towel.
32. Grate parmesan and fontina cheeses.
33. Butter four 9 by 13 inch lasagna pans or large oval pans.
34. Pour a layer of hte pepper sauce into each pan.
35. Put a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, overlapping slightly.
36. Add a layer of the chicken sauce, then a layer of the cheeses, and another layer of pasta.
37. Repeat the process 3 more times ending with the pepper sauce and cheeses.
38. Cover with foil.
39. Lasagne at this point can be made a day ahead.
40. Cooking and serving: Heat oven to 375 F.
41. Bake lasagne in a preheated oven until cooked through, about 45 mins.
42. Allow lasagne to rest for 15 mins.
43. before cutting and serving.