Sausage, Kale, and Lemon Lasagna, adapted

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This recipe comes highly recommended by the Food Bank Community Relations Coordinator.  It has been adapted from the original, which called for chard, but she accidentally bought kale.  The  result was so good that five people consumed it all at one meal.  It is in a white sauce base rather than a tomato base.
Be sure to use the 8" square baking dish for deeper slices.

Cleo, Food Bank Volunteer



Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups coarsely chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 lemon, very thinly sliced
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles, preferably Barilla

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in chard.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a skillet over high heat, breaking up pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
   
3. Cover lemon slices with cold water by 3 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
   
4. Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-inch square nonreactive baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, half the sausage, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of lemons, 2 noodles, then remaining sauce and lemons. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 27 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Uncover lasagna; top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.  

Prep Time 20 minutes 

Total Time 1 hour 

Yield Serves 4

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