You may have noticed that few of my recipes contain low-fat or nonfat ingredients.

This is not because I'm hoping to become a candidate on the newest extreme weight-loss show or because I lack a serious regard for healthy eating. Just that my version of healthy has more to do with eating food that is close to its original source rather than food that is more manufactured.

However, as we've become more industrialized or "modern" in our food production, taste and quality have lost out to convenience, time conservation and ease of transportation.

My gut sense tells me that food that comes from animals that are well cared for is probably better for me. And most importantly, food close to its source tastes good to me. Most "low-fat" products I just don't care for.

I'd rather have a smaller portion of creme brulee than twice that made with skim milk and low-cholesterol eggs.

Up until recently, this philosophy hasn't been all that popular. But now, we are beginning to see all sorts of research that indicates whole fats – ones that aren't homogenized, hydrogenated or trans-anything – may actually have health benefits not understood previously.

This way of thinking brings us back to how our grandparents used to eat. And while many "modern inventions" are ones to be grateful for, i.e., I'm in love with my washer and dryer (OK, that may be a gross overstatement), I don't think I want my food to be a "modern invention."

In any case, taste is usually top of my decision-making chain, and flavor is in the fat. I started making my own fresh cheese last winter, and have found it to be so satisfying – and simple. This recipe was created with store-bought ricotta in mind; if you make your own, you'll need to drain it to the consistency of store-bought.

LASAGNA ROLLS WITH CHORIZO TOMATO SAUCE

The anchovy paste in this recipe is optional, but honestly, you can't distinguish it in the sauce; it just adds more flavor. You can substitute dried herbs for the fresh in the cheese filling recipe: 1 teaspoon dried basil and half a teaspoon dried Italian seasoning. Omit the rosemary.

It's also possible to forgo the rolling of the lasagna and simply blend either a pound of penne or ziti with the cheese filling and the sauce, top with mozzarella, and bake for the same 35 to 40 minutes.

CHORIZO AND ANCHOVY TOMATO SAUCE:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds chorizo, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup diced onions, about 1 small

2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 3 large cloves

2 tablespoons anchovy paste (optional)

Two 16-ounce cans diced tomatoes or 4 cups

12 lasagna noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

CHEESE FILLING:

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

32-ounce whole milk ricotta

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced basil

2 teaspoons minced rosemary

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until it begins to brown. Add the onions and cook for another 7 to 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and saut for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook until the noodles have been rolled with the cheese.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and follow the package instructions for the lasagna noodles. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with olive oil to help keep the noodles separate while you work with them.

In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients except the mozzarella. On a cutting board, lay out 6 noodles. Place half of the cheese filling on one end of the noodles and roll up each noodle. In a 9-by-13-inch...