Classic Lasagna with Kale

Method

1. 1Brown the "sausage"Heat the oil in a large stainless pot or deep cast iron over medium-high. Add the tempeh and mushrooms with a pinch of salt, spread out, and leave alone 4 minutes. Stir and keep cooking until the mushroom liquid is gone and everything is deeply browned, 10 to 12 minutes more. Brown it hard: that crust is what makes it taste like sausage instead of vegetables.
2. 2Onion and aromaticsDrop to medium. Add the onion and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, fennel seed, oregano and tomato paste, stirring constantly until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes.
3. 3Simmer the raguAdd the tamari and a splash of the water, scraping up the browned bits. Add the tomatoes, lentils, the rest of the water, the parmesan rind and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils are nearly tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. 4Wilt the kaleStir in the kale and simmer until fully wilted and the lentils are tender, about 5 minutes. Pull the rind, stir in the basil, and taste for salt. Keep it loose and saucy; add water if the kale tightens it up. If you cooked in cast iron, transfer the ragu out promptly so the acid doesn't pick up a metallic taste.
5. 5Mix the ricottaWhile the ragu simmers, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Stir together the ricotta, egg, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.
6. 6AssembleLet the ragu cool 10 to 15 minutes so it's warm, not hot. In the baking dish: a thin layer of ragu, then a single layer of sheets. Half the ricotta, a quarter of the ragu, a third of the mozzarella. Repeat: sheets, remaining ricotta, a quarter of the ragu, a third of the mozzarella. Final sheets, all remaining ragu covering every edge and corner (any exposed sheet edge stays hard), then the remaining mozzarella and the top parmesan.
7. 7Bake coveredCover tightly with oiled foil. Bake 35 minutes.
8. 8Brown the topUncover and bake until bubbling and spotted brown, 15 minutes. For a darker top, 2 minutes under the broiler.
9. 9RestRest 15 minutes before cutting so the slices hold together.