Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those recipes I have always wanted to try but again, a bit intimidated to give it a go, yeah I know, i get intimaidated by food ALL the time; that is is until I watched the lovely and talented Giada de Laurentiis and saw how easy it was.

This recipe can be done with or without the prosciutto if you wanted a vegetarian version...

Sauce:

    2 tbsp unsalted butter

    4 tsp all-purpose flour

    1 1/4 cups whole milk

    1/4 tsp salt

    1/8 tsp ground black pepper

    Pinch of ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

    1 - 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese

    1 - 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeeze dry - wrap in kitchen towel and twist

    1 cup tbsp grated Parmesan

    3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped - optional

    1 large egg, beaten to blend

    3/4 tsp salt

    1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

    1 to 2 tbsp olive oil

    12 uncooked lasagna noodles - I prefer the narrow ones.

    2 cups marinara sauce - homemade

    1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Bechamel sauce:

Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes.  Whisk in the milk then iincrease heat to medium-high.  Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes.  Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg in.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.


Add a 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water.  Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite.  Drain.  Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet.  The oil will help prevent them sticking.


Butter a 13 by 9 glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish.  Lay out a lasagna noodle on your work surface.  Place a good portion of the ricotta mixture about an inch from one end and roll.  Roll each noodle like a jelly roll.  Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, into the bechamel sauce in the dish.  Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls.  Sprinkle the mozzarella and some more Parmesan, maybe 4 tablespoons over the lasagna rolls.  Cover the pan with foil.  Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Hope you enjoy.

Also, feel free to increase the volume of Parmesan...it is so good.

Credit to the Food Network and Giada de Laurentiis on this one.

BMO