This is adapted from Food and Wine Magazine’s Quick from Scratch, Herbs and Spices Cookbook, that we received from friends on our wedding day many, many years ago. The recipe is actually called “Baked Sausages, Fennel, and Potatoes with Fontina”, but we call it Noodle-less Lasagna in our home. It is super cozy, comforting, and filling, perfect for a fall or winter day after working outside in the crisp air.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, whole
• 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup of dry white wine
• 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes, drained
• 6 oz of fontina cheese, grated (add to the freezer for a few minutes prior to grating)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large dutch oven or oven proof fry pan, seer the sausages over medium-low heat, browning on all sides, turning as needed for ~ 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Turn up heat to medium and add oil to pan. Once oil is shimmering, add onion, fennel bulb, fennel seeds, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the potatoes and salt, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Slice the sausages into 1/2 inch rounds. Add sausage, wine, and tomatoes and raise the heat to medium-high, stirring and simmering until most of the liquid is gone. Take off the heat and pop into the oven for 10 minutes. Add grated fontina cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.