Chicken Chorizo Lasagna. Another of our deliciously different classic pasta dinner recipes with a super flavourful twist. This will easily become a new family favourite!
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
Italian Inspired
Prep Time1hour30minutes
Cook Time1hour20minutes
Total Time2hours50minutes
Servings12servings
AuthorBarry C. Parsons
Ingredients
For the Homemade Pasta
4cupsdurum semolina
2cupall purpose flour
8large eggsroom temperature
For the Sauce
3tbspolive oil
4clovesminced garlic
1 ½poundsground chickenor pork or beef if you prefer
½poundchorizo sausage
1small red onion finely diced
2large cans32 oz can crushed roma tomatoes
½bunch fresh basil
1tbspground or crushed fennel seed
1tbsporegano
1whole bay leaf
1large carrot finely grated
½cupfinely diced celery
2tbspbrown sugar
Salt and pepper to season
½tspchilli flakesoptional
For the Ricotta Filling
16oztub ricotta cheese
1beaten egg
¼tspsalt
¼tsppepper
¼tspfreshly grated nutmeg
½cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
For the top layer
1poundgrated part skim mozzarella cheese
Instructions
To make the homemade pasta
Combine flour and durum semolina and make a well in the centre. Crack your eggs into the well and using a fork to beat the eggs, slowly begin to incorporate the flour into the eggs until everything is combined into a very stiff dough.
You may add a little water to incorporate the dry ingredients if necessary but be careful not to make your dough too loose; it should still be quite a dense dough. Add a little extra flour if the dough is too sticky. The dough should be slightly stiffer than play dough.
Knead for 5 -10 minutes on a bread board, cover in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Knead again and allow to rest again.
You can use a pasta machine to roll the dough into sheets about 1/8 inch thickness or just a regular rolling pin on a well floured surface.
Boil pasta sheets for 1-2 minutes in salted water before using in the lasagna assembly.
For the sauce:
In a large saucepan sauté the olive oil and garlic for 1 minute.
Add the ground chicken, chorizo sausage and red onion.
Cook until the meat has slightly browned. Add all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce.
Slowly simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.
To make Ricotta Filling
Mix together well.
Start constructing the lasagna by adding a cup of sauce to the bottom of a large, deep lasagna pan about 9x13 or a little larger.
Add a layer of pasta, half the remaining sauce, another layer of pasta, then the ricotta filling.
Add another layer of pasta and the remaining sauce. Top with a final layer of pasta and the grated mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour depending on the size of your lasagna pan.
It is very important to let stand for 20 - 30 minutes before cutting and serving. This will allow it to settle, cool a little and make it easier to cut and serve. A lasagne, straight from the oven is always very sloppy to serve.
Recipe Notes
NOTE : You can use store bought lasagna noodles (fresh if possible) or make your own from the recipe provided below. If using dry lasagna noodles, I par boil them for 5 minutes before assembling the dish.