The Not So Skinny Cook

Campfire Dutch Oven Lasagna

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• Spinach and Meat Sauce (see below for recipe, make before the trip and then keep cold)
• 12 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 32 oz ricotta
• 1 package fresh lasagna noodles
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Build up a large camp fire for at least an hour to ensure an abundance of coals.
2. Oil the inside of the dutch oven.
3. Spread a layer of sauce across the bottom, add a layer of noodles (you will have to cut them to fit the shape of the dutch oven.) Top the noodles with a layer of ricotta and a layer of mozzarella. Repeat until sauce and noodles are used up, end with the mozzarella layer.
4. Keep a small fire going in one corner of the fire circle. Put a layer of coals down, place dutch oven on top, add a layer of coals to the lid. Rotate the dutch oven every 15 minutes (since the heat for the fire will also do some cooking.) Every 30 minutes replace the coals.
5. After 1 hour check for done-ness, cheese should be starting to brown, check every 15-20 minutes after that.

Spinach and Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Sweet or Spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
• 3 large cans of crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 onions, diced
• 1/2 head of garlic, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 large handfuls of basil, roughly chopped
• 1 bag or large bunch of spinach, washed
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

Directions:

1. In a enameled cast iron pot*, cook sausage in a healthy amount of olive oil for about 8-10 minutes (does not need to be fully cooked, but should be broken up.)
2. Add onions and more olive oil if needed and cook until onions are translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for about an hour, stirring often.
5. Add basil and cook for another 20 minutes.
6. Stir in spinach, cook until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and serve or let cool and store.

*I find a heavy pot works best for slow cooking sauces because there is less potential to burn. Use what you have, just be careful of burning if you use a lighter pot.