Zucchini, tomato and sausage lasagna

To make zucchini, tomato and sausage lasagna, start by preparing the tomatoes: wash the cherry tomatoes and place them whole on a tray lined with parchment paper. Season with oil 1, salt, brown sugar, the sprigs of thyme, dried oregano and pepper to taste 2. Bake in a ventilated oven preheated to 290°F (145°C) for around 120 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the béchamel: heat the milk in a saucepan 3, then add a pinch of salt and the nutmeg.

Separately, melt the butter on low heat 4, remove from the heat and add the flour in one go 5, beat with a whisk to avoid the formation of lumps. Return to low heat, stir until golden. Incorporate the hot milk 6 and cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat.

Continue stirring with the whisk until the béchamel becomes dense 7. Now prepare the sauce: finely chop a shallot 8, wash and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut them into slices that are around half an inch thick 9.

Remove the sausage casing and crumble the meat by hand 10. Pour a drizzle of oil in a large pan and brown the shallot on low heat 11. Add the sausage 12 and brown for a few more minutes.

Now add the zucchini 13, the tomato paste 14, salt, pepper and cook for around 8-10 minutes on medium heat. Now remove from the heat and leave to one side 15.

In the meantime, the tomatoes will have finished baking 16. Take an 8"x12" (20X30 cm) oven tray, drizzle a little oil on the bottom 17 and add a spoon of  béchamel 18.

Now arrange 3 of the 12 dry lasagna sheets 19 on the bottom and cover with part of the sausage and zucchini sauce 20. Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes over it 21.

Flavor with a spoon of grated Grana Padano 22. Proceed with another layer of pasta, béchamel, cherry tomatoes and Grana Padano. Continue until all the ingredients run out 24; with these amounts you will make 4 layers in total.

The last layer must consist of bechamel, zucchini and sausage sauce, tomatoes and Grana Padano 26. Bake in a ventilated oven preheated to 400°F (205°C) for 25 minutes. Once baked, remove the zucchini, tomato and sausage lasagna, and leave to cool slightly before serving 27.