Total kitchen time: 45 minutes (2 hours if making pasta and sauce from scratch)
Makes: 4 lasagna converts

Shopping list:

• 1 pound fresh pasta dough (or 1 package dried no-boil lasagna noodles)
• 1 pound Iseniro’s Sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 2 cups tomato sauce (see recipe below, or use store-bought)
• 4 tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 4 fried sage leaves, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. If you’re making homemade lasagna noodles, follow your favorite pasta recipe (the recipe on a bag of semolina flour works just fine).  Roll the dough out to the #5 setting (about halfway) on your pasta roller, which is thin enough that you can just see the color of your hand through the dough.  Cut the dough to fit your baking dish.  1 lb. of dough should be more than enough – you may have extra dough left over.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Remove the sausage casings by squeezing the sausage from one end and add the sausage to the skillet.  Break the sausage up into small pieces and cook until lightly browned and no pink is visible.  Set aside.
4. Assemble your lasagna by lightly greasing your baking dish with olive oil or butter.  Place a layer of noodles in the bottom of the dish until it is completely covered.  Spoon on about 1/3 of the ricotta cheese, 1/3 of the sausage, and 1/3 of the tomato sauce.  Repeat 2 more times.  Place a final layer of noodles over the top and cover with grated parmesan.
5. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes if using fresh pasta, or as long as called for if using store-bought lasagna noodles. Uncover and continue baking 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
6. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving, and top with fried sage leaves.

Homemade Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 3 cups Chianti
• 1 12oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over moderate heat.  Add onions and cook until softened and transparent, about 7 minutes.  Add garlic, shallot and sage.  Continue cooking another 10 minutes, keeping the heat low enough to barely brown the vegetables.
2. Add the wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Increase heat to high and boil until reduced to a thick syrup, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, breaking up tomatoes into small pieces with a spoon.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4. Simmer 20 minutes, then add balsamic vinegar.  Adjust with salt and pepper, to taste.

If you’ve never made fresh pasta before, it is quick, easy and very rewarding.  I just got a pasta machine as a wedding present, which makes rolling out perfectly even pasta a total breeze.  The tenderness and stronger flavor of fresh pasta makes a big difference in this dish, so if you’re feeling adventurous, give it a shot!

Full disclosure: I was asked by Iseniro’s PR to develop this recipe, and free sausage was involved.

Any German can tell you that wurst and and cabbage go hand in hand.  Any Spaniard will say the same of chorizo and beans.  But it takes a special, international inclination to make the case for kielbasa with brussels sprouts, white beans and mustard.  I’ll tell you that it works wonderfully!  The saltiness of the pork combined with the bitter, gentle crunch of the brussels sprouts and mildness of the beans is well-balanced perfection.  Plus, its cheap, easy and looks good on a plate!

Makes: 4 Plates of European Unity
Total kitchen time: 30 mins

Shopping list:

• 1 medium shallot
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1.5 lbs. brussels sprouts
• 1 lb. pork kielbasa
• 1 can white kidney beans
• 2 tbsp. coarse mustard
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• ooks&fgbp

1. Peel the shallot and cut into quarters.  Make a small pouch out of aluminum foil (2 layers thick) and place inside the shallot and garlic.  Coat with olive oil and a generous pinch of salt.  Seal the pouch tightly and place in the oven (I recommend the toaster oven) at 400°F for 30 minutes. 
2. Rinse and pick clean the brussels sprouts.  Cut each sprout in half, discarding any wilted or fugly outer leaves.  Steam (or boil, your choice) the brussels sprouts until tender when pierced with a fork.  Set aside.
3. Rinse and drain the beans.  Honestly, 1 can is a little too bean-heavy.  You may want to save about 1/3 of the beans for something else.  I know, I’m telling you now after you’ve bought a whole can, as opposed to buying 2/3 of a can.
4. Slice the kielbasa on a steep bias into 1/4” slices.  Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed non-nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Arrange the kielbasa slices and fry until crispy on each side, about 3 minutes per side.  It’ll smell like bacon, confusing your dog.  Set aside (the kielbasa, not your dog) on paper towels to drain.
5. If your skillet is full of porky goodness, keep it there.  Add a generous tablespoon of good olive oil and keep the heat at medium high.  Unwrap the garlic and shallot and smash them using the flat side of your knife.  They should be very soft.  Add them to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute. 
6. Add the mustard and cream to the skillet and stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to medium low and add the brussels sprouts and beans (as many as you want to use).  Toss everything together to coat, then season to taste with a generous amount of salt and black pepper.
7. Plate the kielbasa on top of your brussels sprouts and beans in a large bowl to serve. 

If you’ve been hit hard by the recession, don’t worry – you can make this recipe without the brussels sprouts or the beans (choose one).  There, I just saved you like $1.50.  Maybe I should invite Suze Orman over for dinner!