Slow Cooker Lasagna

My daughter has asked me to teach her to cook this summer. She wants easy to prepare meals that she can make in the dorm. The room she will be in next year has a kitchenette. I thought a slow cooker would be a good addition because it doesn't require a flame which makes it non threatening to the beginning cook. A quick search of the internet turned up this recipe from Williams-Sonoma. I like this recipe because it does not require you to use the non-cook noodles which are more expensive than the regular noodles.



Serves 12 or 6 hungry college students

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
2 jars (each 24 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 lb. whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
18 ruffle-edged lasagna noodles (not no-boil noodles)
1 1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
Thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish


Directions:
In the stovetop-safe insert of slow cooker over medium heat, warm the olive oil.(If you don't have a stovetop-safe insert, brown the sausage in a frying pan.) Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the ricotta, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the slow-cooker insert. Cover the sauce with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (about 3), breaking the noodles as needed to fit. Spread about 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with about 2 cups of the sauce, then sprinkle with about 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layering 4 more times, starting with the noodles.

Transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the noodles are tender and cooked through, about 4 hours.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to broil.

Transfer the slow-cooker insert to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.