Rich Spinach And Leek Lasagna Recipes

THE BEST SPINACH LASAGNA RECIPE

Steps:

• For the Spinach: Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a few large handfuls of spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted. Continue adding spinach a handful at a time until it is all in the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until spinach expels its moisture and most of that moisture evaporates, leaving a dry bottom as you stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer spinach to a fine mesh strainer set over the sink and press out excess moisture with a rubber spatula. Let spinach continue to drain as you prepare the ricotta mixture.
• For the Ricotta: Transfer half of the ricotta, both eggs, the Parmesan, and the nutmeg to the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl but do not wipe out food processor. Transfer spinach to food processor and pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 12 short pulses. Add spinach and remaining ricotta to the ricotta mixture and fold gently to combine.
• For the White Sauce: Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add flour and increase heat to medium high. Cook, stirring butter and flour with a whisk until paled golden blond, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in milk. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and add 3/4 of mozzarella and Comté, Gruyère, or Emmenthale cheese. Whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To Assemble: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta sheets a few at a time and cook until barely tender, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and run under cool water until well chilled. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel in a single layer. Continue until all pasta is par-cooked and dried.
• Drizzle a small amount of white sauce over the bottom of a lasagna pan or large casserole. Add a layer of noodles. Top with 1/12th of spinach mixture and 1/12th of remaining white sauce. Continue layering pasta, spinach, and white sauce until you lay down the top sheet of pasta.
• Spread remaining spinach mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Comté or Emmentaler cheese and drizzle with remaining white sauce. Spread into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until bubble and lightly browned, about 20 minutes longer. Let rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

RICH SPINACH AND LEEK LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and upper third. Divide leeks between two rimmed baking sheets. Toss each with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 20 minutes, stirring leeks and rotating sheets halfway through. Let sheets cool on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add red pepper, parsley, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to a medium bowl.
• Spread 1 cup sauce in an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles. Layer with half the spinach, then 1 cup sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 2 more noodles, half the leeks, 1 cup sauce, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, reserving the last 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover lasagna loosely with foil and bake on top rack until sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. (Place a rimmed baking sheet on middle rack to catch any drippings.) Remove lasagna from oven and heat broiler. Sprinkle with reserved Parmesan and broil until cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before slicing.

LIGHT SPINACH AND LEEK LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and upper third. Divide leeks between two rimmed baking sheets. Toss each with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 20 minutes, stirring leeks and rotating sheets halfway through. Let sheets cool on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add red pepper, parsley, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to a medium bowl.
• Spread 1 cup sauce in an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles. Layer with half the spinach, then 1 cup sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 2 more noodles, half the leeks, 1 cup sauce, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, reserving the last 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover lasagna loosely with foil and bake on top rack until sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. (Place a rimmed baking sheet on middle rack to catch any drippings.) Remove lasagna from oven and heat broiler. Sprinkle with reserved Parmesan and broil until cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before slicing.

SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 minutes. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all spinach is wilted, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a mesh strainer and press against spinach to remove as much liquid as possible.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is golden brown, 1 minute. Add milk and continue whisking until milk begins to boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cover surface with plastic wrap.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry zucchini, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Spread 1 cup bechamel along the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place one-third of noodles over bechamel in a single, overlapping layer. Top with 1 cup bechamel and half of spinach. Repeat with a second layer of noodles, bechamel, and spinach. Top with remaining noodles, remaining bechamel, zucchini, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden in places and lasagna is bubbling along the edges, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lasagna from oven and let stand 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

LEEK & GREENS LASAGNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Heat 1 tbsp oil with the butter over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and finely sliced leek, season and cook for a few mins until the leek has softened.
• Add the flour and cook for 1 min more until the roux smells nutty. Take off the heat, slowly pour in the milk and whisk out any lumps.
• Return to the heat and whisk slowly until thick and smooth, about 5 mins. Season well with grated nutmeg, then add 3/4 of the cheddar and parmesan, cooking until they are melted. Set aside.
• In another pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over a medium heat and fry the garlic and chilli for a couple of mins until aromatic. Add the rest of the leeks, season and fry until softened, then add the mixed greens and season a little more. Cook, stirring, until the greens have wilted, about 4 mins, then pour in the wine and cook until it evaporates.
• Oil a medium roasting tin (about 20cm square) and tip half the greens into the tin. Dot half the walnuts over the top, and nestle in a third of the artichoke hearts. Dot over half the ricotta. Remove the bay leaf from the leek bechamel and pour over a third of it. Top with three lasagne sheets to cover everything in a at layer. Repeat the process, then cover the top layer of lasagne sheets with the remaining bechamel and artichokes and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins, until golden and bubbling. Rest for 10 mins, then serve with a sharply dressed grated carrot and beetroot salad.