Lasagna alla Rucola

Meat Sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds ground turkey

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Arugula-Ricotta Filling: 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

10 ounces baby arugula, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

32 ounces whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

18 no-boil lasagna noodles

4 cups shredded mozzarella 

Heat oven to 400F. Spray a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Make the meat sauce. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat oil until hot. Add onion and celery and sauté until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with red pepper flakes, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Make the ricotta filling. In a medium skillet over medium, heat oil until hot. Add arugula and sauté until wilted. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Let cool slightly. 

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan and egg. Fold in arugula mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Add one fourth of the meat sauce to the pan. Top with 6 noodles and spread those with one-third of the ricotta mixture. Top with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers, then cover last layer of noodles with meat sauce and remaining mozzarella. 

Cover pan with foil and bake until noodles are al dente, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more until cheese is lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.