Ricotta and spinach lasagna

Making lasagna reminds me of Sunday family lunches. This is a classic recipe that never goes out of style, a vegetarian lasagna that is loved by both adults and children. It is a delicious dish with delicate flavours. The vegetarian filling made from spinach and ricotta is a lighter version than the one made with meat, but at the same time it is succulent and irresistible.

Although this is a recipe that takes time to prepare, it is worth it because it is a winning combination.

I make it on the Revol porcelain tray because it distributes the heat evenly across the surface and, as it is beautiful and elegant, it is ideal for serving directly to the table. If you have any leftover portions, you can freeze them or take them to work for lunch, because it is a complete dish and can be reheated perfectly.

Revol Porcelain Tray , Microplane Premium Zester Grater and Revol Slate Plate

Ingredients

For the lasagna

• 250 g lasagna sheets
• 50 g grated parmesan for gratinating

For the filling

• 800 g fresh spinach
• 500 g of ricotta or fresh Burgos type cheese
• 400 g of bechamel (2/3 of the prepared bechamel)
• 100 g grated parmesan
• A few leaves of fresh basil
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

For the bechamel

• 50 g butter
• 50 g of flour
• 500 ml of milk
• Nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce

• 800 g crushed tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 10 basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil

Skeppshult cast iron frying pan with wooden handle

Preparation

1. First of all, let's prepare the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan . Add the sifted flour and stir well; let it toast gently for a minute.
2. Add the sifted flour, stirring well with a spoon to prevent lumps from forming, and let the flour toast for a few seconds over low heat, until the mixture is golden.
3. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
4. Pour in the milk and stir constantly with the WMF whisk until the mixture thickens. Set aside.
5. Make the tomato sauce In a pan with olive oil, sauté the tomato, a pinch of salt, and a dessert spoon of brown sugar.
6. Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat and at the end add the basil, turn off the heat and blend with the QuickChef hand blender until the mixture is very fine. Set aside.
7. Now it's time to prepare the filling. Clean and chop the spinach. Sauté in a pan with salt and a dash of olive oil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes and add a little water during cooking if necessary. Allow to cool.
8. In a large bowl, mash the ricotta or fresh cheese with a fork, add the already warm spinach, the grated Parmesan, ⅔ of the bechamel, the chopped basil leaves, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.
9. Mix just enough to combine the ingredients but making sure the mixture is not homogeneous. Set aside.
10. If you are using lasagna sheets that do not require pre-cooking or lasagna sheets made from fresh pasta, you can start assembling the lasagna. If you are using lasagna sheets made from pasta that requires cooking, boil them in plenty of water following the manufacturer's instructions.
11. Strain and place the sheets on a kitchen towel to prevent them from deforming.
12. In the Revol ceramic tray lightly greased with butter, start by filling the base of the tray with the remaining third of the bechamel and place a first layer of lasagne sheets.
13. Spread some of the spinach and ricotta mixture on top, carefully calculating how many layers of filling you will need. Spread 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce on top and place a sheet of lasagna on top.
14. Continue with the rest of the sheets and finish with a sheet of lasagna.
15. Cover the entire surface with the tomato sauce.
16. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
17. Place the lasagna in the oven for 20 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, add a little grated Parmesan cheese with the Zester Premium Microplane grater and gratin for a few minutes. Turn off the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes and serve.