Pizzanga

Pizzanga is the name my kids call one of their favorite pasta dishes which is basically lasagna made with your favorite pizza toppings. It's a great recipe to make with kids especially if you want to make your own pasta for the recipe.

For the pasta:

You can use store bought (fresh if possible) or make your own.

4 cups durum semolina

2 cup all purpose flour

8 large eggs, room temperature

Combine flour and durum semolina and make a well in the center. Crack your eggs into the well and using a fork to beat the eggs, slowly begin to incorporate the flour into the eggs until everything is combined into a very stiff dough. You may add a little water to incorporate the dry ingredients if necessary but be careful not to make your dough too loose; it should still be quite a dense dough. Add a little extra flour is the dough is too sticky. The dough should be slightly stiffer than play dough.

Knead for 5 -10 minutes on a bread board, cover in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes , then knead again and allow to rest again.You can use a pasta machine to roll the dough into sheets about 1/8 inch thickness or just a regular rolling pin on a well floured surface. Boil pasta sheets for 1-2 minutes in salted water before using in the lasagna assembly. Extra pasta dough may be wrapped and frozen.

For the sauce:

In a large saucepan sauté for 1 minute

3 tbsp olive oil4 cloves minced garlic

1 small red onion finely diced

Add:

2 large cans (32 oz can) crushed roma tomatoes

1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp ground or crushed fennel seed

1 tbsp basil

1 whole bay leaf

1 large carrot finely grated

½ cup finely diced celery

2 tbsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper to season

Slowly simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.

Layer whatever pizza ingredients you like alternately with the sauce and pasta. If you like ground beef on your pizza , consider making and pre-cooking small meatballs instead. The lasagna pictured used:

Meatballs
Crisp cooked bacon
Italian sausage
Red peppers
Red onions
Pepperoni
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour depending on the size of your lasagna pan. Let stand for 15- 20 minutes before cutting and serving.