PASTA: This is the meatless version of lasagne that is my own personal favourite.

BAKED LASAGNE WITH ASPARAGUS, MUSHROOMS AND PESTO:

 

 

 

1lb. lasagne noodles

1 ½ lb. asparagus spears

2 cups sliced cooked mushrooms                                           

1 cup pesto sauce, see below

2 cups Béchamel sauce, see below

1 cup grated Pecorino cheese                                                                          

½ cup bread crumbs                                                   

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Bring 7 quarts of water, 2 tbsp. salt added, to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water.

 

Trim asparagus and blanch in boiling water, heat turned off, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with tongs and drop them into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove asparagus from ice water and drain well. Cut each spear in half. Set aside.

 

Bring the same water back to a boil and cook the lasagne noodles, a few at a time, making sure to keep them separate from each other during cooking. Cook until al dente. Drain and dry on paper towels.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, stir together béchamel sauce, pesto and grated cheese.

 

Butter an over-proof dish and line the bottom with pasta sheets, slightly overlapping each other. Top with a layer of asparagus and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover this with a layer of the sauce mixture. Continue with the layering until ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of pasta topped with sauce. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

PESTO SAUCE:****

 

 

 

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed                                            

½ cup extra virgin olive oil                             

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese                    

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, minced                                                           

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

Combine basil and pine nut in the work bowl of a food processor with steel blade attached. Process with on/off pulses a few times. Add garlic and process on/off a few times more.

 

With motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula once or twice. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste and pulse once or twice to mix.

WHITE SAUCE VARIATION--BECHAMEL SAUCE:****

 

 

 

½  each of onion & carrot, finely chopped                             

½ stalk celery, finely chopped            

4 tbsp. butter                                                   

4-5 tbsp. all purpose flour

2½-3 cups hot milk or hot chicken stock, or a combination of both                                       

2 -3 thyme leaves, or ¼ tsp dried thyme

dash white pepper and salt to taste                  

dash grated nutmeg

 

 

 

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter to cook onion, carrot and celery until soft and golden. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent browning. Remove from heat, gradually add in hot milk or stock or milk mixture, whisking with a wire whisk continuously to mix smoothly to prevent lump. Strain mixture into a large non-stick pan, pressing down on vegetables to extract flavour. Return pot to medium high heat, cover and bring sauce to a boil, watching carefully to prevent boiling over. If sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken stock.

 

Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer sauce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning. Use sauce as needed. .

 

If sauce is not to be used immediately, cover the surface with a piece of buttered wax paper to prevent skin forming and let sauce cool. Sauce may be kept for up to 2 days in a refrigerator.