Pesto Lasagne Food

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.

PESTO LASAGNA ROLLS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 1 minute longer than the package directions for al dente. The pasta should be tender enough that it will roll without cracking. Drain well and rinse with cold water. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and is the consistency of a thin gravy, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow the bechamel sauce to cool slightly.
• Beat the egg in a large bowl and then stir in the ricotta, spinach, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the pesto, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup pesto into the slightly cooled bechamel sauce.
• Brush a 13- by 9- inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/4 cup of the pesto-bechamel sauce on to the bottom of the dish.
• Lay half of the cooked lasagna noodles on a clean work surface and spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly over each. Starting with a short end, roll each noodle up. As you make the rolls, transfer them to the prepared baking dish seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon the remaining pesto-bechamel sauce over the lasagna rolls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until the rolls are heated through and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is browned on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if using, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

LASAGNE AL PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the potatoes then the beans in the water, cooking each until just tender. Drain the potatoes and slip off the skins. Drain the beans and refresh them in ice water.
• Refill the pot with salted water. Cook the pasta sheets 1 at a time, just until tender. Drain each sheet and lay on clean towels. Cover with additional towels to keep warm.
• Coat the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch serving dish with a thin layer of pesto. Cover the pesto with a 1/3 of the warm lasagne noodles. Spread pesto over the pasta. Break the potatoes up into bite-size pieces and put half of them and half the beans on top. Arrange another layer of pasta over the beans and potaotes, cover with pesto, another layer of beans and potatoes then a final layer of pasta. Cover the lasagne with Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut and serve.
• Place the basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a mortar or food processor. Grind or pulse until the leaves are finely chopped. Gradually incorporate the Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta and yoghurt. Then, work in the oil, adding it in a steady stream. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mix the flour with the salt and mound them on a clean work surface. Create a well in the center of the flour mound. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the well. Lightly beat the eggs with the oil. Using the fingers of one hand, begin incorporating the dry ingredients into the wet, drawing flour into the well in a circular motion. Use the other hand to protect the outer wall. Work the flour mixture into the egg mixture until the dough forms a ball (if the dough doesn't come together add a drop or two of water). Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Brush the surface with the remaining olive oil , wrap the dough in plastic wrap; and set aside to rest for about 30 minutes.
• Cut the ball of dough in half. Wrap and reserve the piece you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with a little flour. Form the dough into a rectangle and roll it though a pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at the widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening until the machine is at the narrowest setting: the dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Make 4 pieces, about 20-inches long and 6-inches wide. Lay the lasagne sheets out on a clean dry surface and allow them to dry slightly (about 10 minutes) before using.

LASAGNA AL PESTO GENOVESE

Steps:

• For the besciamella sauce: Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk to avoid scorching. Meanwhile, dice the butter and begin to melt it over medium heat in a separate saucepan. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and nutmeg. When butter has fully melted and has stopped bubbling, whisk the flour mixture thoroughly into the melted butter. Allow this flour mixture to simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. When the milk is steaming and looks like it is about to simmer, quickly add all of the flour roux to the hot milk while stirring vigorously with the whisk. (The whisking will allow the roux to fully incorporate into the milk and you will start to see it thickening.) Bring to a full rolling boil, whisking constantly, to thicken the milk and flour mixture. Transfer mixture to a bowl or casserole dish to fully cool down in your refrigerator.
• For the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.
• In a bowl, combine the besciamella sauce with the pesto Genovese and salt. Begin assembling the lasagna by laying a sheet of raw fresh pasta down in the greased baking dish (cut and piece together the pasta if necessary to fit your vessel). Next, pour a half cup of the sauce mixture onto the pasta. Using a spatula or desired utensil, spread the sauce evenly, making sure to get it to the edges and in the corners of the dish. Sprinkle over the sauce layer a handful of asparagus, handful of mozzarella, light handful of pecorino, light handful of basil. (Keep in mind, there are 7 layers with these ingredients, so use sparingly on each layer; the pine nuts will be distributed on 2 layers of your choosing, as they are not needed on each layer.) For the 8th and final layer, begin by laying the rest of your pasta on top of the 7th layer, then spread the rest of your sauce on top of the pasta, and sprinkle the rest of your mozzarella on the sauce. Finish the assembly by evenly sprinkling the crouton crumbs on top of the mozzarella. Cover the dish well with foil to trap in moisture to allow the raw pasta to cook.
• Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover the lasagna and bake until the lasagna has crisped and browned to your liking, another 15 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with warm alfredo sauce or as desired.

EASY PESTO LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and arrange in a layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese with 1/2 cup of the pesto. Divide the ricotta mixture evenly among the noodles, spreading it the length of each noodle. Divide 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly among the 8 noodles, spreading it on top of the ricotta mixture.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the remaining marinara sauce to the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
• Roll up the lasagna noodles, then arrange them seam-side down in the baking dish. Top them with the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce and 1/4 cup pesto. Cover the baking dish securely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil, top the roll-ups with the mozzarella cheese and continue baking, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, top the lasagna roll-ups with the grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

PESTO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in the olive oil until tender. Add spinach and stir. Remove from heat and stir in the pesto. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• In a 3 quart greased baking dish, layer the noodles then the spinach mixture, followed by the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat the layers ending with noodles on top. Spread the Alfredo sauce over the top and sprinkle with parmesan.
• Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes.

BAKED PESTO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Boil the noodles in well salted water until al dente. Drain well, and lay all the strips out to dry on paper towels.
• Wash basil leaves well in several changes of water. Blanch in boiling water just until limp. Using a slotted spoon, immediately plunge into ice water to cool. Drain again and squeeze dry. Place in blender with parsley, garlic and oil, and purée until smooth. Season with pepper to taste, and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Raise heat and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Stir in the Parmigiano. Let cool slightly, then stir in the pesto until completely blended.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Liberally butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon a little of the pesto sauce over the bottom of the pan. Line with 3 strips of the noodles. With a rubber spatula, top each strip evenly with sauce. Sprinkle with about a quarter of the mozzarella and Monterey Jack. Repeat with three more layers, using all the noodles, and most of the sauce and cheese. Pour all the remaining sauce over, smoothing the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.