Cavolo Nero, Sausage & Ricotta Lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180° fan.

Prepare the béchamel. If you have time, I recommend infusing the milk. Heat the milk with the bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and optional onion and garlic, in a large saucepan. Once simmering, remove from the heat and let it infuse for 30 minutes. Strain the milk.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the flour over a medium heat. Add the milk in 4 stages, whisking well and allowing the mixture to thicken in between. Whisk out all lumps before adding more milk. If you haven’t infused the milk, add the bay leaf, thyme and rosemary during the first addition. Keep adding the milk until it is used up and your sauce is glossy. Season well and add a grating of nutmeg. Stir in the cheeses and season. Cover and set aside. Remove the bay leaf before using.

Once ready, whisk in the additional milk (you can add a wee splash
of cream if you are looking for something extra-silky). This extra liquid is necessary when using dried pasta sheets, as they absorb much more moisture than you expect. Although the béchamel will feel quite thin, it will thicken up when baking.

Remove the stalks from the cavolo nero and finely chop them, then cut the leaves into rough pieces. Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the sliced cavolo nero stalks along with the leeks and cook until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, then add the chopped cavolo nero leaves and cook until softened. Remove the greens from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Place the pan back on the heat. Remove the sausage meat from its casings and add to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into smaller pieces. Cook for 5 minutes over a high heat or until well coloured all over.

To assemble, grease a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) baking tin (pan). Pour a fifth of the béchamel into the base and top with 4 lasagne sheets. Spoon over a third of the greens, then a third of the sausage meat, then another fifth of the béchamel and lastly a third of the ricotta. Add a further 4 sheets of lasagne, then repeat this process until the fillings are all used up (you should have a fifth of the béchamel left over for the topping). Finish with a final 4 sheets of lasagne, then spoon over the last of the béchamel. Grate your favourite cheese over the top, then grind over some black pepper, add a little drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of thyme leaves.

Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through and soft when a knife is inserted into the middle.