Lentil & Sausage Lasagne

bluemoon downunder's Note:

Adapted substantially from a recipe in a recent issue of the Australian magazine ‘New Idea’. Instructions have been included for freezing this dish in a 10-cup capacity ovenproof and freezer-proof dish. If you are choosing to freeze all or some of this dish, you may find it more convenient to use several smaller dishes. If you are doing this, remember to adjust the cooking times: obviously, smaller portions will cook more quickly.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 1.0 10-cup ...

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 links thin pork sausage or 8 links thin beef sausages
• 2 red onions , thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 red pepper , chopped
• 400 g brown lentils , drained
• 4 cups fresh spinach , chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups vegetable broth or 2 cups water or 2 cups wine
• salt , to taste
• fresh ground black pepper , to taste
• 250 g light sour cream
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese , finely grated
• 250 g instant lasagna sheets
• 1 cup tasty cheese , grated
• fresh parsley leaves , to garnish

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 10-cup capacity ovenproof – and if you are planning to freeze this dish, then freezer-proof – dish and place to one side.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick pan, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until the sausages have cooked through and are browned all over.
3. Drain the sausages on absorbent paper, and slice thinly.
4. Add the onions, garlic & bell red pepper to the same pan, cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.
5. Add the sausages, lentils, spinach, cumin, vegetable broth, water or wine; bring to the boil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; remove from the heat.
6. Combine the sour cream and parmesan in a medium bowl, and stir well.
7. Arrange a quarter of the lasagne sheets over the base of the ovenproof, freezer-proof dish – or dishes.
8. Spread a quarter of the sour cream mixture over the lasagne sheets.
9. Spread a third of the sausage mixture over the sour cream.
10. Repeat layering with the remaining lasagne sheets, sour cream and sausage mixtures, finishing with the sour cream mixture.
11. Sprinkle with tasty cheese.
12. Cover the dish tightly with foil, place on an oven tray and cook in a hot oven (200°C) for 40 minutes, or until the lasagne sheets are tender.
13. Remove the foil.
14. Cook the dish for a further 15 minutes or until the cheese has browned; stand for 5 minutes and serve, garnished with fresh parsley leaves.
15. To freeze: Make the recipe to the end of step 11. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 months.
16. To serve: Thaw the pasta in its dish in the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, place on an oven tray, cook in a hot oven (200°C) for about one hour (or for a shorter period if the quantity is smaller) or until hot; remove the foil; cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes, or until the cheese has browned; stand for 5 minutes before serving, and serve, garnished with fresh parsley leaves.