Here’s a delicious variation of lasagna that will “wow” everyone who has the good fortune to eat it! I LOVE lasagna. It’s one of those things I could eat several times a week and not get tired of it. This variation was created spur of the moment when I was trying to decide what to make with a fennel bulb I had on hand. I had also just bought some ground Italian sausage. Just as I was getting ready to put the sausage in the freezer for future use I figured I should just make something with it before it was frozen. So, fennel and sausage. The perfect combination. What would you make with it? Pasta sounded like the perfect choice. I spotted a box of lasagna in the pantry and the decision was made. Before long I had a delicious creamy white sauce simmering with zesty sausage, sweet fennel, apple and butternut squash. And a splash of white wine added the perfect final touch. Layer that with lasagna noodles, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, bake it in the oven until bubbly and golden brown, and you have one seriously tasty dish. So you may be asking yourself, what is fennel bulb? Fennel is a vegetable that’s commonly eaten in Europe, especially France, Italy and Germany and so I’ve had a lot of exposure to it. It’s not quite as common here in the U.S., though most of us are familiar with the seeds that fennel plants produce – fennel seeds. Fennel is in the Umbellifereae family and is closely related to dill, parsley, carrots and coriander. It has a crunchy texture and fairly sweet flavor. Fennel is a superfood, full of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that come with a lot of health benefits. And it’s just simply delicious! Have you cooked with or eaten fennel before? Please leave a comment below and tell us about it!
Combined with the flavors of the sausage, apple, and butternut squash, you’ll really enjoy this lasagna.
Sausage, Fennel and Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe
Let’s get started! First let’s make the bechamel sauce that we’re going to need later. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and use a wire whisk to blend it with the butter. Let the mixture bubble for 2 minutes until light golden, continually whisking.
Gradually add the milk while continually whisking to prevent lumps and whisk until smooth.
Slowly bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, whisking frequently to prevent lumps and scorching. Add the Parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg and whisk until smooth. Simmer for another minute then remove from heat. (If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk.) Add salt to taste. Set aside.
Heat a a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until most of the pink is gone but not completely.
Chop the onions and mince the garlic.
Add the onion and garlic to the sausage and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
Dice the butternut squash, apple and fennel.
Add the vegetables and apple to the sausage mixture and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
Pour in the white wine and bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
Add the bechamel sauce, pepper and fresh parsley.
Cover and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
To assemble the lasagna: Spoon a little sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
Lay 4 lasagna sheets over the sauce, overlapping, then spoon half of the remaining sauce over the pasta.
Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the Mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers (lasagna sheets, sauce, cheese).
A trick for keeping the cheese from sticking to the aluminum foil is to first spray the foil with oil.
Cover the lasagna with the foil and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F for 40-50 minutes then remove the foil and bake for a few more minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let the lasagna sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!
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