Nduja Pepper Sauce Lasagna

I absolutely love this flavour combination! It’s reminiscent of that Puglian dish with sausage, broccoli, and orecchiette—these ingredients just go so well together. This lasagna makes an excellent dinner party dish, especially when served with a butter lettuce salad on the side. If you have a slightly deeper tray, you could definitely add another pasta layer on top.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 8 lasagna sheets (I used gluten-free)

• 140g broccoli spears, sliced in half lengthways

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 ball mozzarella

• 30g grated Grana Padano

• 170ml double cream

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pepper Sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1.5 tbsp tomato purée

• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 210g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• 190ml vegetable stock

• 300g red peppers (about 1.5), deseeded and thinly sliced

For the Filling:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 400g sausage mince (I used 6 organic sausages, removed from their casing and torn into pieces)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp ‘nduja paste

• 60ml white wine

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C and grab a 9-inch baking tray.

2. Roast the Vegetables: Place the broccoli spears on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. On a separate tray, add the sliced red peppers, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season. Roast both trays of vegetables for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and chop the broccoli.

3. Make the Pepper Sauce: Set a large frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the sliced garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Then, add the halved cherry tomatoes, tomato purée, and rosemary leaves. Simmer with the lid on for 7 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a blender along with the vegetable stock, roasted peppers, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

4. Cook the Sausage Filling: Set a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and start frying the sausage pieces. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the ‘nduja paste, dried oregano, and white wine. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to combine.

5. Prepare the Lasagna Sheets: Soak the lasagna sheets in boiled water for 2 minutes to soften them.

6. Assemble the Lasagna: Spoon a layer of the pepper sauce to cover the base of the 9-inch baking tray. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, followed by more pepper sauce, half of the sausage mixture, half the chopped broccoli, half the torn mozzarella, 1/3 of the grated Grana Padano, and a drizzle of double cream. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Repeat the layers, then finish with the remaining pepper sauce, a drizzle of double cream, and the remaining grated cheese.

7. Bake: Bake the lasagna in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes until golden. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set.

Enjoy!

This Nduja Pepper Sauce Lasagna is full of bold, spicy flavours and is perfect for a cosy dinner or a special occasion. Serve it with a fresh butter lettuce salad and enjoy!