No ordinary ‘Artichoke & Sausage’ Lasagna

There is more to lasagna then a few pasta sheets, a mince Ragu & white sauce. On my little regional research of old school Italian recipes I came across this beauty in my battered 1000 recipes from Puglia cookery book that I have read a thousand times over. Based on friends reactions this definitely goes down as a winner. If anyone thinks lasagna is boring, I would like to think that this dish would change their mind.

Artichoke & Sausage Lasagna

Ingredients

300g Lasagna

250g canned Artichokes, sliced

400g Sausage meat

100g speck, sliced,

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic cloves, chopped

1 lemon, juice

60g Flour

100g Butter

1.2l chicken stock

100g Parmesan, grated

300g Scamorza, diced

Salt

White Pepper

Olive oil

• Pre-heat oven 200c
• First of all make the ‘Vellutata’ sauce (which is basically like a bechamel sauce but using chicken stock instead of milk)
• Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat; when melted, add in the flour & stir with a wooden spoon to make a roux. Pour half the chicken stock & keep on stirring with the spoon. Slowly add in the rest of the stock & stir until it has developed into a creamy sauce. Season with salt & white pepper.
• In an other pan, fry the garlic & onion.  When softened, add the artichokes & sausage meat; pour the lemon juice & cook until evaporated.
• In an oven proof dish, add two ladles of the Vellutata sauce. Then add a layer of lasagna sheets, add the artichoke/sausage mixture, layer of Vellutata sauce, Scamorza, Parmesan & speck.
• Repeat the process, until all the mixture is gone. Finish with a layer of lasagna, Vellutata sauce & Parmesan
• Bake in the oven 30-40 mins
• Serve up for your mates, they will think you’re a Don.