Italian-sausage-and-kale gratin

Italian-sausage-and-kale gratin (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

By Noelle Carter

December 10, 2012, 11:00 a.m.

Aromatic vegetables suspended in a rich sauce, maybe a little melted cheese, all of it hidden under a crisp golden brown crust. Behold the glory that is the gratin. One of the oldest dishes in the comfort-food playbook, the gratin is a celebration of lush creaminess and crisp crust that is often based on the simplest of ingredients.

For the perfect rustic weeknight meal, combine crumbled Italian sausage with fresh kale in a creamy goat cheese sauce. Top the gratin with a seasoned breadcrumb topping before baking, and you've got dinner in just over an hour.

For more quick-fix dinner ideas, check out our video recipe gallery here. Food Editor Russ Parsons and Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter show you how to fix a dozen dishes in an hour or less.

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You can find Noelle Carter on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest. Email Noelle at noelle.carter@latimes.com.

Italian sausage and kale gratin

Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound fresh mild Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 bunches (about 1 pound) kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

8 ounces fresh goat cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano