This recipe is rich and filling and easy to make. Mostly just sausages and cheese, it is a great winter tummy warmer. Using whipping cream instead of whole milk makes a richer sauce, but is not necessary if you want to cut calories. The quality of the sausages is very important because it is the main flavouring in the dish. If you cook fresh lasagna noodles for a minute, they absorb less sauce and you get more filling.



Fresh lasagna noodles (about 6 to 9 lasagna noodles)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 Italian sausages, about 1½pounds (750 grams), removed from casings

¼cup red wine

One 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, pureed

1 cup whipping cream or whole milk

Pinch nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups grated fontina, provolone or mozzarella

1 cup grated Parmesan



Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 1 minute or until softened, but not fully cooked. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together. Reserve.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble in sausage meat and cook stirring, for 3 minutes or until sausage looses its pinkness. Add red wine and bring to a boil, then add tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Pour in cream, bring to boil and boil for 4 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 cups. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Combine grated fontina and Parmesan and set aside.

Lightly oil an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Make a layer of lasagna noodles, top with one third of sauce, then one third of cheese. Repeat layering twice more finishing with sauce and cheese.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until sauce bubbles and cheese is browned on top. Serves 6.