Deb's Favorite Lasagne Soup

Last year my friend Deb, who knows I like to cook, forwarded me this recipe for Lasagne Soup from Pinterest.   It was one of her favorites and now it's one of mine!  It is delicious fresh for dinner and equally good for lunch the next day.  Essential to this recipe it the "cheesy yum."  Hope you give it a try!

Deb's Favorite Lasagne Soup (based on a recipe from A Farmgirl's Dabbles)

Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs bulk Italian sausage (or Italian turkey sausage)
3 cups chopped onion
4 heaping tsp minced garlic from a jar (or 4 cloves, minced)
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
8 oz mafalda pasta (or broken lasagne noodles)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

Cheesy Yum
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of ground pepper

Heat oil over medium heat in large stock pot.  Add Italian sausage, break in pieces and brown (about 5 minutes).  Add onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and stir until blended then cook about 3 minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, in a separate bowl combine ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper to create the cheesy yum.

To serve, place a heaping tablespoon of the cheesy yum in a bowl.  Ladle hot soup over.  Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.