Fennel, Sausage and Courgette One-Pot Lasagne

Score the sausages and strip the casings from the meat (discard the casings).  Grate the Parmesan, and then set it aside.

Set a low-sided, 26-28cm casserole or other oven- and hob-proof dish over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and, once warm, the sausagemeat. Use the back of a wooden spoon or similar to push and squash the sausagemeat so that it breaks up into a mince, then cook for 5 mins, stirring only occasionally so some browns.

Lightly bash the fennel seeds to grind them up. Stir them through the sausagemeat and add the water, deglazing the pan if necessary. Simmer for 2 mins, then transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Slice the courgettes into ½cm rounds, finely slice the garlic, strip the leaves from the thyme and finely zest the lemon.

Add the remaining oil to the same dish you used for the sausagemeat, plus the courgettes and a good pinch of salt. Fry for 4-5 mins over a medium-high heat, turning occasionally. It’s fine for the courgettes to colour a little. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, thyme, lemon zest and a generous grind of pepper, then cover and cook for 4-5 mins until the courgettes are soft and glossy, but are not mushy.

Return the sausagemeat to the dish, add the crème fraîche and stock, then stir and simmer for 5 mins. Heat the oven to 190°C.

Once the crème fraîche and stock have been simmering for 5 mins, add the lasagne sheets, breaking them in half as you submerge them in the liquid. Cook for 4 mins so the pasta softens, then remove the dish from the heat.

Arrange the lasagne sheets so that they are evenly distributed. Try to make them a little wavy and ruffled, and keep most below the level of the liquid. Cover with mozzarella and Parmesan, then bake in the oven for 15-20 mins until burnished and golden.