Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
Heat a non-stick frying pan. Add the sausages and gently fry until they
are about three quarters cooked and golden brown. Remove from the pan and
slice on the diagonal, lengthways into three.
Meanwhile heat a large frying pan. Add the 55g/2oz of the butter and once
melted add the onions. Cook the onions gently for 10 minutes or until soft
and translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the bacon lardons to the frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until
golden and crispy. Add the cavolo nero with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook
for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage is soft, but still holding a little
texture. Drain off any fat, remove from the pan and set aside.
Rub a large gratin dish (30x21x6cms/12x8x2in) liberally with 25g/1oz
butter. Place a layer of sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish season
with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of the thyme. Top with a layer of
sliced sausage, then a layer of cooked onion. Top with another layer of
sliced potato and season with salt, pepper and thyme. Spoon over the
cooked cavolo nero and bacon. Top with another layer of potato slices and
season again with salt, pepper and thyme. Top with a layer of sliced
sausage, then a layer of cooked onion and finally a layer of sliced potato.
Season once again with salt, pepper and thyme.
Pour the cream and stock into a pan and add the bay leaves. Place over a
gently heat and bring to just below boiling point. Pour over the sausage
and potato pie. You want the liquid to just cover the top layer of
potatoes. Dot over the remaining butter and cover with foil. Place the
dish on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 1¾ hours.
Remove the foil from the dish and increase the oven temperature to
200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the top is
golden. Serve immediately with garlic bread.