Lasagna Soup (Yum!)

Another recipe winner!  We tried this tonight because we thought it looked good, and we were right.  It looks good, and tastes even better!  I would definitely recommend you try this soon!
This recipe is from A Farm Girl's Dabbles

Ingredients 

(I used some alternative ingredients so I wouldn't have to run to the store, it was still amazing. I included my notes for your reference)

for the soup:
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
• 3 c. chopped onions 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic powder)
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I omitted this)
• 2 T. tomato paste (I actually used a small can of tomato sauce and cooked it down a little)
• 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I used Hy-Vee's petite diced tomatoes in Garlic and olive oil)
• 2 bay leaves (I omitted this)
• 6 c. chicken stock (I used water and bouillon)
• 8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta (I used bow tie)
• 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
• 8 oz. ricotta
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
additional cheesy yum:
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.