Spicy Seafood-and-Fennel Lasagne

Makes: 8 servings

Prep: 1 hr 30 mins
Bake: 30 mins 375°F
Stand: 15 mins

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 35 ounce can tomatoes*
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 pounds squid, sliced into thin rings
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large bulbs fennel, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (6 to 7 cups)
2 cups thinly sliced onions
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 no-boil lasagne noodles (or 1 pound regular dried lasagne noodles, cooked according to package directions)

Directions

1. Make Tomato-Seafood Sauce: Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, breaking up with spoon, and the 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in squid; cover and simmer 1 hour. Stir in shrimp; cook 1 minute more. Makes 8 cups.

2. Make Fennel-Onion Filling: Meanwhile, heat the 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in fennel, the sliced onions, the 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and begin to brown, 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Make White Sauce: Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and the 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 10 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 375 degree F. Measure 1/2 cup of just tomato mixture without any squid or shrimp from Tomato-Seafood Sauce; spread mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 no-boil noodles or a layer of cooked noodles on top. Spoon on 2 cups of the Tomato-Seafood Sauce, then add second layer of noodles. Combine Fennel-Onion Filling with White Sauce and spoon on top. Add third layer of noodles, 2 cups of the Tomato-Seafood sauce, then remaining noodles. Spoon 1/2 cup of the Tomato-Seafood sauce over top (reserve remaining).

5. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Heat reserved Tomato-Seafood Sauce in saucepan over low heat; serve with lasagne. Makes 8 servings.

Note