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Spicy Vodka Lasagna

Classic lasagna meets spicy vodka sauce
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Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Lasagna, Spicy Vodka
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Vodka sauce

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 400 g hot Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp Calabrian chili paste (or chili flakes)
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 120 ml vodka
  • 1 L crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp butter, cubed
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

Béchamel

  • 85 g unsalted butter
  • 65 g plain flour
  • 1 L whole milk, warmed
  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper

Assembly

  • lasagna sheets (fresh or no-boil)
  • 400 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
  • 150 g Parmesan, finely grated

To finish

  • 3 tbsp chili crisp
  • Small handful of fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

  • Brown the sausage: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Cook the sausage, breaking it up, until browned and crispy in spots, about 7 min. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
  • Build the base: Lower heat to medium. Cook the onion until soft, 4 min. Add garlic and chili paste, stir 1 min until fragrant.
  • Bloom paste and vodka: Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 min until slightly darkened. Add vodka, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer until mostly reduced, 2-3 min.
  • Simmer the sauce: Add tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered 20 min, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Stir the sausage back in with the butter and parmesan cheese, simmer 5 min, then adjust the salt.
  • Make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1-2 min until pale and foaming (don't brown). Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until it coats the back of a spoon, 6-8 min. Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
  • Layer: Spread a thin layer of vodka sauce in a 9x13 in (23x33 cm) baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, then a third of the remaining vodka sauce, a third of the béchamel, and a scatter of mozzarella. Repeat twice more. Finish with the last of the béchamel, remaining mozzarella, and the Parmesan.
  • Bake: Cover loosely with tented foil and bake 30 min. Uncover and bake 15-20 min more, until bubbling and golden.
  • Rest and serve: Rest 15 min before slicing. Drizzle with chili crisp and scatter with basil.