Free Form pork and fennel lasagne

BY PHOEBE WOOD

MAY 02, 2020

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 each fennel & onion, finely chopped
• heap of celery chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1kg pork and fennel sausages, casings removed
• 1 cup (250ml) white wine
• 1/3 cup chopped sage leaves, plus extra leaves to garnish
• 900ml tomato sugo (seasoned tomato sauce – from delis and Italian grocers)
• 250g (about 6) fresh lasagne sheets (substitute cooked dried sheets), torn in half
• 150g grated mozzarella

BACON BECHAMEL

• 20g unsalted butter
• 6 smoky bacon rashers, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• 40g finely grated parmesan

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in a large, deep ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add fennel, onion and garlic with a pinch of salt flakes and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until softened. Add sausage meat and cook for 15 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over. Add wine and sage and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes or until wine is reduced by about half. Add tomato sugo and 1 cup (250ml) water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until thickened and reduced. Season to taste.

   
• 2.
  For the bechamel, place butter, bacon and onion in a cold saucepan over low heat. Gradually bring to heat, stirring regularly, to render fat from bacon. Cook for 10 minutes or until bacon is rendered and onion has softened but not coloured. Increase heat to medium-low.

   
• 3.
  Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes to cook out flour. Add milk in 2 batches, whisking to ensure no lumps form. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir parmesan and season.

   
• 4.
  Push torn lasagne sheets into hot sauce so they are submerged. Pour over bechamel and top with extra sage leaves then scatter with mozzarella. Place on a tray and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden, then serve.