Pesto Lasagne From Chez Panisse Pasta Pizza And Calzone Cookbook Recipes

PESTO LASAGNE ( FROM CHEZ PANISSE PASTA, PIZZA AND CALZONE COOKBOOK)

Steps:

• To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter on the stove on low heat. As soon as it's melted add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for about 4-5 mins. Don't let the butter or the flour brown! Combine the half-and-half and the cream and set aside. Whisk one cup of the cream mixture into the roux, over low heat, until it's thickened slightly. Then pour the remaining cream mixture in an even stream into the sauce and keep whisking for a few minutes until combined and slightly thick. Turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and white pepper. Toss teh bouquet garni into the sauce. Set the pan on top of a double boiler, cover and let barely simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bechamel from the heat and let cool slightly. Remove the bouquet garni from the bechamel sauce and toss out. Stir one half of the pesto into the bechamel sauce. When assembling your lasagna try to lay the first layer of the noodles in such way that large pieces of the noodles are continue to hang over all four sides of the dish. Once the dish is filled you will wrap these extra layers over the top and wrap them like a package. This seals in the sauce as the dish bakes. Use a 9x12 pan. Spread a small amount of pesto on the bottom, just to grease the dish. Lay the first layer of noodles as described above. Cover in a layer of the pesto bechamel sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Add a layer of noodles, then cover in a layer of pesto. Repeat these 3 layers. Top the last layer with bechamel. Fold the noodles hanging over the edge of the dish over the top of the lasagna, like a package. Sprinkle with the parmesan and pecorino combination. Then sprinkle with the bread crumbs and then dot with the butter. Bake in a 350 degree oven covered in foil for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 more minutes, or until the top is a golden brown. Let set for about 10 minutes before serving.

PESTO LASAGNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 13 by 9 by 4 baking dish and add a thin layer of besciamella (bechamel sauce). Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, and then another thin layer of besciamella. Gently spread about 4 tablespoons pesto across the surface, and then top with about 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat until you finish layering the lasagne. Top with a final layer of noodles and spread a final very thin layer besciamella, pesto, Parmesan cheese and a little butter to help the cheese crisp-up when cooked in the oven.
• Cook the lasagne for about 30 minutes. Serve dressed with some Parmesan and a drop of extra-virgin olive oil.
• Fresh Pesto: Combine the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a mortar and pestle and pound until paste forms. Add the Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, salt and pepper and stir until smooth.
• Keep the pesto in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
• Mix the pasta and the pesto...serve garnished with some grated Parmesan (just a touch), fresh ground pepper and a sprinkle of olive oil.
• Besciamella: Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the floury taste.
• Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

FRESH LASAGNE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Put the milk, butter and flour in a medium pan and cook over a medium heat, whisking until thickened and smooth. Simmer for 1 minute. Take off the heat, season and add the nutmeg. Cool, stirring occasionally to stop a skin forming.
• Put the spinach in a large heatproof bowl, pour over a kettle of boiling water and leave for 30 seconds. Drain into a colander, cool under the cold tap then squeeze it well to remove the excess liquid.
• Spread a spoonful or two of the sauce on the bottom of a large ovenproof dish (about 30x20cm) and lay a third of the lasagne on top. Spoon over a third of the sauce and spread it out. Swirl a spoonful of pesto through the sauce with a knife and scatter over half the spinach with a third of the tomatoes, a few basil leaves and a third of the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Layer another third of the lasagne with a third of the sauce, a spoonful of pesto, the rest of the spinach, a third of the tomatoes and cheeses and some basil. Season.
• Finish with a layer of lasagne, the last of the sauce, pesto, cheeses and the tomatoes, including those on the vine. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden. Scatter with the last of the basil leaves and serve.

CHEZ PANISSE CALZONE

Steps:

• Mix one-fourth cup of the lukewarm water, yeast and rye flour. Let rise 20 to 30 minutes, then add the rest of the water, the milk, olive oil, salt and the all-purpose flour.
• Mix the dough with a wooden spoon, then knead on a floured board. It will be soft and a little sticky. Use quick motions so the dough will not stick. Add more flour to the board as needed, but no more than absolutely necessary. Knead for 15 to 20 minutes to develop the dough's strength and elasticity. Put it in a bowl rubbed with olive oil and oil the surface of the dough to prevent a crust from forming.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place. Let the dough double for two hours, then punch it down. Let it rise about 40 minutes more.
• Crumble the goat cheeses and grate the mozzarella. Julienne the prosciutto. Finely cut two tablespoons of chives and mince the same amount of parsley. Chop the thyme and marjoram and mince the garlic. Blend all these ingredients and season with black pepper.
• Roll the dough into a circle 14 inches in diameter, or divide it in two or three pieces to make small calzones. Put the filling on half the dough in a semicircle, leaving a one-inch margin at the edge. Moisten the edge with water and fold the other half of the dough over to make the edges meet. Fold the edges up to form a running curl, pinching it tight. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until browned and crisp. Serve whole and cut with a serrated knife at the table.

EASY PESTO LASAGNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Place the pesto, half the mascarpone and 250ml water (or vegetable stock if you have some) in a pan. Heat and mix until smooth and bubbling. Add the spinach and peas and cook for a few more mins until the spinach has wilted and the peas thawed. Add the herbs and season.
• Place a third of the pesto mixture into a baking dish roughly 18 x 25cm. Top with 4 lasagne sheets, then repeat with 2 more layers of sauce and lasagne sheets, finishing with a layer of pasta. Mix enough milk into the remaining mascarpone to make a white sauce consistency, season, then pour over the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and pine nuts. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges. Scatter over the reserved basil leaves and serve with a green salad, if you like.

ROASTED TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND PESTO CALZONES

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon), combine the water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let stand 5 minutes until foamy. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, salt and olive oil, and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• While the dough rises, prepare the tomatoes: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange tomatoes cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter with garlic and season generously with salt. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tomato skins are wrinkly. Let cool slightly, then use your fingers to pull the skins off each tomato. (Count the number of tomato pieces now, then you'll have an easier time dividing them among the 6 calzones.) Discard skins, then transfer tomatoes and garlic to a strainer set over a bowl. (You won't need the accumulated juices for this recipe, but save them - you can whisk them with a bit more olive oil and vinegar for a vinaigrette.)
• Gently punch down the dough and transfer to a not-floured work surface. Divide into 6 pieces, each about 4 1/4 ounces/120 grams. Working with one piece of dough at a time, cup the dough ball on a work surface (almost as though you were forming a cage around the dough). Rotate your hand in clockwise circles, exerting a bit of pressure on the top of the dough ball, until it's a smooth sphere. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough and let stand 15 minutes, loosely covered with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel. (The dough can be prepared up to this point, transferred to a baking sheet, covered with greased plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.)
• If you have a large pizza stone, place it in the oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. (If you don't have a pizza stone, lightly oil a rimmed 13-by-18-inch baking sheet). Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into an 8-inch circle using a rolling pin. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons pesto in the center of the dough and use the back of the spoon or an offset spatula to spread it in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1-inch border. Pile 2/3 cup mozzarella on half of the dough, then top with some of the tomatoes. Fold the dough in half, over filling, then roll and crimp the edge of the dough together to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough, pesto, mozzarella and tomatoes until all 6 calzones have been formed. Brush each calzone with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt.
• With a large spatula, transfer the calzones to the pizza stone (or baking sheet) and arrange them diagonally to fit. Bake until puffed and deep brown, 18 to 23 minutes. (Tent with foil if the tops become too dark before the rest of the dough is browned.) Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.