With the cold weather we have been experiencing lately the people in our house were craving something warm and comforting. No-one wanted meat so a bouef bourguignon was out of the question. Soup was a possibility but we couldn’t agree on a particular recipe as we all have our own favourites. I suggested Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne (a recipe I have been making for more years than I care to remember) and finally a consensus was reached. Lasagne is great for cold days as it is very satisfying, it is also good when you want to feed a lot of people with a minimum of effort as it can be made ahead of time and shoved in the oven when needed. I prefer to make my own lasagne sheets but it is acceptable to use the commercial variety if you are pressed for time.
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
Ingredients
For the pasta:
3 cups ‘oo’ flour
3 large eggs
2 tbs olive oil
pinch salt
For the filling:
300 g spinach leaves (picked and washed)
300 g ricotta cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 a nutmeg (freshly grated)
1/2 tsp ground all spice
1 egg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 tin diced Italian tomatoes
For the bechamel sauce:
75 g butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
bay leaf, freshly grated nutmeg and seasoning (to taste)
Method
For the pasta: Mound flour on a clean work surface. Add salt. Make a well in the center. In the well place the three eggs and the oil. Bring the flour into the middle with your hands and work the mixture until you have a firm dough. Knead for 5-10 mins. or until smooth. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temperature for 20 mins. Divide dough into thirds. Roll each piece out to a large sheet about 2-3 mm thick. Hang sheets over a clean towel rail or clothing rack for 15-20 mins to dry. Cut to required size. For the filling: Fry onion and garlic in a little olive oil until translucent, add dried herbs and cook for a further 30 seconds. Set aside. Shred spinach leaves and place in a bowl with the ricotta, Parmesan, all spice, nutmeg, egg and seasoning. Add cooked onion and garlic and mix thoroughly. Set aside. For the bechamel sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook for a couple of mins. to get rid of the floury taste. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the time, until all the milk is used up and you have a smooth sauce. Add bay leaf, nutmeg and seasoning. Set aside.
Put a little of the diced tomatoes and 2 tbs water in the bottom of a lasagne dish. Cover with a layer of pasta. Spread about 1/4 of the ricotta mixture on top, sprinkle with some more of the diced tomatoes and a little of the bechamel sauce making sure you keep about 1/2 to cover the top. Repeat with the remaining layers finishing with a layer of pasta. Cover with bechamel sauce and extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and place in a pre-heated 180 c oven for 30 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 30 mins. or until golden brown.