Lasagna Stuffed Garlic Bread

Loaded with layers of savoury lasagna noodles, flavourful meat sauce, creamy bechamel sauce, and gooey cheese, all nestled between slices of warm garlic bread.

This mouthwatering dish combines the comfort of lasagna with the convenience of Furlani garlic bread, creating a family-friendly meal that is as delicious, as it is easy to make with our flavour hack. Ground sausage, plus Furlani garlic loaf is all the seasoning you need! No additional, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning required. Bonus, we added spinach and peppers in a way that even the pickiest eaters will not say no!

Yield: Serves 6

Preparation Time: 15 min; Cook Time: 45 min

Ingredients

2 loaves Furlani garlic bread

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

3 large fresh lasagna sheets, blanched in boiling water (or dry sheets, cooked)

chopped parsley or basil for garnish

Meat Sauce:

1 pound ground sausage (or removed from casings)

1 small onion, diced

1 bell pepper (or two coloured halves), diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups passata or tomato puree

Bechamel Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups milk, warmed (microwave until warm or heat in a small pot)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

5 ounces baby spinach, chopped

Directions:

Blanch the fresh lasagna sheets in boiling water for 45 seconds (or cook dry sheets of lasagna). Cut into 2-inch strips lengthwise.

Meat Sauce (15 minutes)
In a large skillet over medium-high heat cook the sausage. Using a wooden spoon to break apart the larger pieces, cook until meat is browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove sausage to a mesh strainer over a heat resistant bowl, to drain grease (or place on a paper towel lined plate).

In the same skillet, drain all except 1/2 tablespoon the grease. Then add the diced onion and peppers. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, scraping any bits of sausage off the bottom of the skillet, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Stir in the tomato sauce bring to a simmer. Add in the drained sausage meat, stir to combine, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to use.

Bechamel sauce (5 minutes)
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. Add about 1/3 of the milk and stir until incorporated and a thicker paste has formed, 1 minute. Add the next 1/3 of milk and stir to incorporate. Add the final 1/3 of milk and use a whisk to ensure that there are no lumps, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and pepper, then add the spinach. Turn off the heat and stir to combine. Cover and set aside until ready to use. *Serve any extra bechamel sauce warm for dipping.

Prebake the garlic loaves while you make the bechamel sauce.

Place the top and bottom halves of the Furlani garlic loaves into a baking dish to form 2 tight V-shapes. The sides of the baking dish and the middle halves will hold the shape. Add a sprinkle of cheese to the bottom of the bread V's. This will act as a bit of a glue to help hold their shape.

Place the dish in the oven and bake for 6 minutes.

Remove the dish to a heat tolerant surface and carefully assemble the lasagna.

Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Assemble both loaves.

Place a layer of lasagna noodles (1 1/3 strips) on the cheese. Then layer about a quarter of the meat sauce on each loaf. Place another layer of lasagna noodles, then a layer of the bechamel sauce. Next add a sprinkle of cheese, followed by another layer of the noodles. Spoon on the rest of the meat sauce, evenly between the two loaves. Then finish with the rest of the cheese.

Bake the lasagna garlic bread for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. (If the bread is browning too much, lightly tent with foil until the cheese is melted to your liking.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil, then let the loaves rest 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serve with warm leftover bechamel sauce and enjoy.