Recipe: Sausage and Kale Lasagna

I love this recipe! Kale (or couve in Portuguese) is a great leafy green that holds up well despite the high heat and long baking time. You could probably experiment with spinach if you don't like kale, or can't find it.

The sausage adds some amazing flavor and texture. We used spicy Italian, but I think that chorizo or linguica might have been nice, too. (Eric and I disagree on this point. Since I write the blog though.... (evil laugh here))

We baked for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, then broiled it for 2-3 minutes.

The other thing I love about this recipe is that it "Freezes Beautifully" (Steel Magnolias reference....anyone? anyone?) so Eric whipped up two and froze one for later use.

We enjoyed this once with our friends Josh and Jess, and then Friday night with our friend Pat. Good reviews all around.


Here's the only bad thing. It serves 8, and 1 serving (not that big) is TEN Weight watcher points. Not exactly light fare. As Michael Pollan says, "Treat treats as treats." In other words, don't have Eric's lasagna every night. Or for lunch the next day. Because I definitely didn't do that. (OK I did but I didn't calculate the points until much, much later. And I repented.)

Martha Stewart recipe via delish.com (the only adaptation we made was more cheese- always a good call.)

12 ounce(s) spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)
1 bunch(es) (1 1/2 pounds) kale, thick stems removed
4 clove(s) garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounce(s) (about 9 noodles) lasagna noodles , each broken crosswise into 4 to 6 pieces
1 pint(s) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup(s) finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 5-quart pot, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions; cover, and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add kale and 1/2 cup water to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain; coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl with onions.
Meanwhile, cook noodles 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
Add noodles, tomatoes, and ricotta to the bowl; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.