I made this lasagna (from Martha Stewart) for a potluck. It turned out not to be your typical lasagna...it is much more mature...what I would call "grown-up" lasagna. There are no tomatoes. No garlic either. But boy do the other ingredients make up for it. The sausage packs a lot of flavor. The Swiss Chard gives it an earthy taste. The lemon keeps it feeling light and fresh. Its a perfect way to kick off the beginning of spring.
Here's the "how to" (straight from Martha):
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 cups whole milk
* 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 5 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (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.
It was simple enough to make (although it took me a little over an hour) and came out looking as almost as good as the picture from Martha. That almost never happens!
(completed!)
