Top 5 Recipes of 2011; Blazy's Pepperoni Studded Lasagna!

It's time for number 3 in my Top 5 Recipes of 2011 feature, and it's Blazy's Pepperoni Studded Lasagna! I absolutely loved this recipe and this is an excellent cold weather recipe. It's packed with flavor and is a sure fire way to satisfy the lasagna lover in your home.

This recipe was actually chosen by my wife while watching Guy's Big Bite one day, she thought it looked good. Well she made a good choice, but I must admit it is probably far from healthy. With ingredients like pepperoni and Italian sausage it's loaded with fat but it's so freaking GOOD! We both loved it and I'm already thinking of some variations of it that I can't wait to try.

Ingredients
2 pounds lasagna sheets
2 cups hand cut 1/8 inch slices pepperoni
4 cups tomato sauce
1 pound ricotta
16 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 pounds bulk Italian sausage, cooked
3.4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat oven to 375º F.

In a medium saucepan add pepperoni and saute over medium heat until crispy, Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel. Do not discard the grease from the pan, place the Italian sausage in the pan and cook till done.

In a 10-by-14-by-3 inch baking pan or dish, pour 1 cup of tomato sauce in bottom and around sides. Layer lasagna sheets on the bottom of the pan, overlapping by 1/2 inch. Add 1/3 amount of ricotta, 1/3 amount of mozzarella, 1/3 amount of sausage, then sprinkle generously with the Parmesan, add 1/3 cup tomato sauce, and 1/4 cup pepperoni. Repeat this 2 more times.

On the very top sheet, top with remaining ricotta, tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and dust with Parmesan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven; let sit for 15 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.

Guy's Tomato Sauce
3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
5 medium-sized garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups skinned and diced Roma tomatoes
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil leaves 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook over medium to low heat until transparent. Add garlic and cook until almost brown. then add tomatoes and cook for /2 hour over low to medium heat. Add the basil and oregano and continue to cook for another 1/2 hour. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.