Spinach & Ricotta Lasagna With Pine Nuts

Submitted by mortarandpestle

"Adapted by from Delia. Made tonight and even my spinach hating father tried some. I used shop bought bechamel sauce instead of the sauce recipe and it worked fine."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• SAUCE

• 850 ml milk
• 50 g butter
• 50 g plain flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 60 g parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

• LASAGNA

• 300 g spinach, fresh
• 1 kg ricotta cheese
• 250 g lasagna sheets, fresh if possible
• 30 g butter
• 2.46 ml nutmeg
• 200 g cheddar cheese, grated
• 200 g mozzarella cheese
• 300 ml cream

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (Fan forced).
2. Place the milk, butter, flour and bay leaf together in a saucepan, giving it a good season.
3. Heat over a medium heat, whisking the whole lot continuously until it comes to a simmer point and has thickened. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the parmesan and remove the flyleaf; set aside.
5. Remove the stalks from the spinach and wash thoroughly.
6. In a large saucepan put the knob of butter and spinach leaves together, put a lid on and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, making sure the leaves dont burn.
7. Drain the spinach in a colander and allow to cool. Squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach and chop finely.
8. In a bowl combine the chopped spinach, ricotta, cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and add the cheddar.
9. In a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the pine nuts and dry fry for about 1 minute to toast them.
10. To assemble the lasagna spread a 1/4 of the sauce into the bottom of a ovenproof dish (23cm x 23cm).
11. Add a 1/4 of the spinach mixture, followed by a scattering a pine nuts and 1/4 of the mozzarella. Now place lasagna sheets on top, they may need to be torn to fit the dish.
12. Repeat the process until all ingredients are layered, finishing with a layer of pasta, the rest of the sauce and the remaining cheese.
13. Place in the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling.
14. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for 10 minutes.