OTTOLENGHI recipe at home: Sausage Ragu Lasagne for One – with a Spring Roll Skin Hack / オットレンギの「ひとり用ソーセージラグーラザニア」

Lasagne for One – With a Surprise Sakura-Inspired Hack

Here’s my third recipe for the #onebookthreerecipes April challenge—huge thanks to Giorgio @whennonnocooks and Alba @albacooksnbakes for the kind leadership.

I made this last week before heading off for a short trip to Paris. It was a bit of a fridge-cleaning mission, and this “Sausage Ragu Lasagne for One” from COMFORT (pg. 215) was just the right kind of satisfying, one-pan meal.

Originally, I came across this dish in Margie’s @margie.gordon52 January post, and I remembered her note: “It’s lasagne for one—but generous enough for two.” She was absolutely right, so I went ahead and made it as dinner for two.

But Here’s the Twist – No Lasagne Sheets? No Problem

Because of my recent spring roll obsession (inspired by sakura season!), I had leftover wrappers. My freezer was full, so instead of reaching for pasta sheets, I arranged the recipe using spring roll skins.

Surprisingly? It worked beautifully. They layered well, absorbed the sauce, and crisped slightly at the edges—a delightful discovery that I might return to intentionally next time. If you’re ever short on lasagna sheets, keep this in mind!

Visual Guide to the Recipe

What I Learned from the Pan (Spring Roll Lasagne Edition)

Cooking this Ottolenghi-inspired Sausage Ragu Lasagne for One was already an appealing idea—but making it work with what I had on hand, especially those leftover spring roll wrappers and a nearly-full fridge, gave me a few new insights that I’d love to share.

1. Spring Roll Wrappers Are Not Just for Frying

Substituting lasagna sheets with Spring Home brand spring roll pastry (as pictured) turned out to be an unexpectedly brilliant move. Their thinness gave each layer a slightly chewy yet crisped edge once baked—like a hybrid between lasagna and mille-feuille.

Visually, it was beautiful too: the delicate folding gave the final dish a slightly sculptural shape, and it browned attractively under high heat.

2. Sausage = Flavor-Loaded Mince

Using sausage as a shortcut for seasoned meat was another reminder that sometimes, convenience overlaps with quality. I peeled the casing and crumbled the meat directly into the pan—what you see in the first photo were leftover German-style sausages from the fridge. Once cooked with garlic, onions, and fennel seeds, the base became deeply aromatic, with minimal effort.

It made me rethink how often I overlook sausage as just a “finished product.” It’s actually a flavor capsule waiting to be repurposed.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Assemble Freely

There’s something about the one-pan format that welcomes imperfection. Without boiling pasta or worrying about symmetry, this felt more like layering flavors than assembling a “dish.” The spring roll wrappers absorbed the ragu beautifully, and the folded-over structure gave a satisfying texture in every bite.

The final dish, served on a Japanese Oribe-style plate, was such a cross-cultural surprise—rich tomato aroma, creamy cheese, softly cooked carrot and onion, and a bold plate to bring it together.

4. Presentation Doesn’t Need to Be Fancy—Just Honest

Despite being an improvisation (spring roll wrappers, herbs half-wilted in the fridge), the final plating was oddly elegant. I scattered some fresh oregano leaves, let the folds speak for themselves, and served it directly on a ceramic dish I usually reserve for tamagoyaki.

This whole experience reminded me that creativity in the kitchen often comes from embracing what’s there—not from forcing a fixed recipe. That’s the real spirit of Ottolenghi’s COMFORT, I think.

オットレンギの「ひとり用ソーセージラグーラザニア」春巻きの皮で応用版！

今月のオットレンギお題レシピ。冷蔵庫整理も兼ねた、旅前のワンパンラザニア。

本来はラザニアシートを使うのですが、今回は“春”巻きの皮で。桜春巻きの名残です（笑）。結果的に大正解！焦げすぎないよう火加減に気をつける必要はありますが、ちゃんとラザニアっぽい食感になりました。

ソーセージは皮を外して使うと、味付け済みミンチのような感覚でとても便利。少しの工夫で、旅の前夜もおいしく豊かに。