18 Barilla oven ready lasagna noodles
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
1 egg, beaten
1 c. low fat ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
2 Tbs. low fat sour cream
3 Tbs. seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. fat free half and half
*(original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds- I leave it out because I don't like it! It also says to use 24 lasagna noodles, but we like a little more filling, so I use less)
Fill a large glass baking dish with hot water. Lay lasagna noodles in hot water and set aside; check noodles occasionally and separate to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute garlic (and fennel if using it) until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add sausage to the pan and cook until not longer pink, breaking it up as finely as possible during cooking; drain (if needed).
In a medium bowl combine beaten egg, ricotta, 1 cup Italian cheese, sour cream, bread crumbs, basil, and oregano. Stir in cooked sausage. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the sauce, combine the marinara sauce with the half and half in a medium bowl. Mix well. Grease two 9x13 glass baking dishes and cover the bottom of each dish with a thin layer of sauce.
Remove the lasagna noodles from water (after about 20 minutes) and layer them between paper towels. Working with two noodles at a time, place one noodle on top of the other forming a plus sign. Place about 2-3 Tbs. sausage mixture in the center of the noodles. Grab the edges of the bottom noodle and fold into the center, over the filling, so they overlap slightly, pressing the filling down slightly as you do so. Fold in the edges of the remaining noodle to form a square pouch. Place ravioli seam side down into the prepared baking dishes (up to 6 per dish). When all ravioli are complete, cover them with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly.
Adapted slightly from letsdishrecipes.com
