Spicy sausage and goat cheese lasagna

I wanted to create a super tasty lasagna recipe without all the fuss of cooking a sauce for a long time and creating a bechamel. This version uses spicy italian sausage for maximum flavour in a short cooking time. I add yellow bell pepper for sweetness and white wine to deglaze the pan after browning the sausage and onion. 

4 or 6 small portions

Ingredients :

• 500g spicy italian sausage, casing removed

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp chili flakes 

• 2 small onions, finely chopped

• 2 yellow bell peppers, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 jar of passata (tomato sauce)

• ½ cup white wine (pinot grigio)

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup mozzarella

• 1 tsp salt

• Black pepper to taste

• 8 large wheat or gluten free lasagna noodles (should fit a 6x9 baking dish)

Cheese mixture:

• 113g pack goat cheese

• ½ cup parmesan cheese

• 3 tbsp milk 

• Zest of 1 lemon, juice ½ lemon 

• Pinch of kosher salt

• Black pepper

• For serving : Ricotta fiorella and basil leaves

Steps :

1. Preheat your oven at 375F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Heat a large pan over medium high heat with olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and sausage. Break the sausage in smaller pieces and let brown for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add the chili flakes, fennel seeds and peppers. Cook for another 3 minutes. 

4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and scrap it with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce for another minute or so. Add the passata and water. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Blitz your sauce with a hand mixer if desired - I like to leave it on the chunkier side.

5. Meanwhile, make the cheese mixture by mixing together the goat cheese, parmesan, milk, lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

6. Cook your lasagna noodles according to the packaging instructions - they should be al dente.

7. By then, the sauce and noodles should be ready. To assemble the lasagna, you need an ovenproof ceramic baking dish. Ideally 6x9 in size - since my noodles were 9 inches long it fitted perfectly in the dish. 

8. Start by laying a layer of sauce at the bottom - then the noodles, more tomato sauce and then the cheese sauce. Repeat this step 4 times - you should end with 4 layers. 

9. Top the lasagna with mozzarella cheese, extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt. Bake in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes. It should come out bubbly and golden brown on top. 

10. Serve with a dollop of Ricotta Fiorella and fresh basil.