Sausage Florentine Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds bulk Italian sausage
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 package (12 ounces) extra wide noodles, cooked and drained
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, sugar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in spinach, noodles and onions. Discard bay leaf from sausage mixture.
• In each of two greased 9-in. square baking pans, layer a fourth of the noodles and a fourth of the sausage mixture. Top each with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 casseroles (4 serving each).
  
  Editor's Note: Casseroles may be frozen before baking. Thaw in the refrigerator. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Sausage Florentine Bake published in Taste of Home August/September 1998, p27