Lasagna verdi

An easy veggie lasagna made with spinach and ricotta

Dear readers,

This recipe reminds me of my internship while working for the Swiss Government in the capital of Switzerland, Bern, back in 2014. I was looking for a recipe to prepare for several people, which could be achievable in my small apartment and required not too much prep time.

One of my Swiss-Italian colleagues told me about her lasagna verdi she used to cook and I was enthused to try it myself. I’ve been cooking it ever since at least once a year and each time i do it reminds me of this time.

This recipe does not require much ingredients, just a bit of patience!

This recipe serves 4 (hungry) people or 6 with a side such as a salad.

Ingredients :

- 1 pack of frozen spinach - 750 g (3 big cups), unseasoned and without added ingredients such as cream;

- 250 g (1 cup) ricotta ;

- 250 g (1 cup) parmigiano reggiano, half for the filling and the other half for each layer of the lasagna ;

- 20g / (1/4 cup) butter;

- 5 dl / (2 cups) room temperature milk (I prefer half and half);

- 20 g / (1/4 cup) flour;

- 1/2 box of lasagna sheets (please see if it needs to be pre-cooked beforehand);

- salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg powder.

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First, preheat your oven at 180 degrees celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spinach and ricotta mixture:

1. Thaw the spinach in a large pot, add a bit of water and bring it to a simmer until completely defrosted.

2. Add in the ricotta and half of the parmigiano cheese, mix well.

3. Season the mixture generously according to your taste.

4. Let it cool in the pot.

Béchamel sauce

1. Melt the butter in a pan.

2. Add the flour and stir actively until a paste forms in order for the flour to cook.

3. Gently add the lukewarm milk and stir continuously until the mixture thickens.

4. Season generously with garlic powder, salt, nutmeg and pepper.

Assembling the lasagna

1. Start by adding a thin layer of the spinach mixture on the bottom of your oven dish.

2. Then, a layer of the béchamel mixture, I like to add a bit more of parmigiano on top.

3. And then the lasagna sheet (the ones I use do not need to be precooked).

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you finish the spinach mixture.

5. Finish off your lasagna with a lasagna sheet, some béchamel and a lot of parmigiano.

6. Bake for an hour, the top should be golden brown and the béchamel bubbling. If the top gets burnt too quickly, cover the dish with aluminum foil.

I usually serve this meal with a side salad.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Audrey