Whether it’s cycling to work, going for a long Sunday stroll or spending a day harvesting olives in the grove, one of the best things about a bit of fresh air and exercise is what it does for the appetite. At the end of a big day in the grove, this dish is just what the harvester ordered.
Ingredients for 6 people
For the béchamel
Milk – 450ml/¾ pint
Butter – 50g/2oz
Plain flour – 50g/1¾ oz
Salt – 1 teaspoon
For everything else
Nudo almond or Ligurian pesto – 200g/7 oz
Lasagna sheets – 350g/12.3 oz
Parmesan – 90g/3.2 oz grated
Pine nuts – 30g/1 oz
Butter – a knob
Salt and pepper to taste
Make the béchamel by heating the milk in a saucepan just to before the point of boiling. In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt 50g of butter and add the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, then take it off the heat and slowly add the warm milk, continuously stirring so it stays smooth. When all the milk is in you can put the sauce over a low heat to thicken and salt to taste.
Toast the pine nuts. Preheat the oven to 200oC/400oF/gas mark 6. Bring a big pan of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta sheets a few at a time, for a couple of minutes each, as you build your lasagna.
Start off by greasing your lasagna dish with a decent bit if butter and spread a small spoonful of béchamel. As the pasta sheets are ready, cut them to fit the dish, and do alternate layers of pasta, then béchamel, a spoonful of pesto, a sprinkling of parmesan and a sprinkling of pine nuts. The Italians tend to have lots of layers of pasta and I’d aim for at least 8. On the final top layer spread the béchamel, sprinkle some cheese and pine nuts then dab on some butter.
Whack it into the oven for 20 minutes or until it’s beginning to brown on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
