Super quick and easy to make this Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne is a delcious meat-free alternative to the traditional Italian classic. Use gluten-free lasagne sheets and gluten-free flour to make the onion bechamel. However, if you want to skip pasta altogether, feel free to use thinly sliced layers of sweet potato or zucchini instead of lasagne sheets. Ricotta bought in blocks or baskets is best for this. I use full fat. Silver beet (about 1 large bunch), fresh English or baby spinach is great, but frozen spinach can also be used - see note below for exact amount conversions.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Servings: 4people
Ingredients
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
500gfresh baby or English spinach leaves (see note below for silver beet or frozen spinach)
4clovesgarlic
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
500gRicotta(semi-firm texture, full fat - do not use smooth Ricotta)
2eggs
1tbsp dried Italian herb mix
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp salt
Onion Bechamel
1medium onion
25g butter
1/4tspsalt
1/4tspground black pepper
1/4tspground nutmeg
4tbsp plain flour (or plain gluten-free flour)
3cups milk
To assemble
1jarNapoletana pasta sauce(400g, I like Barilla)
6lasagne sheets
1cupgrated cheese(I used cheddar)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Line a square baking tin with baking paper.
Roughly chop English Spinach, you can leave baby spinach leaves whole (see notes below for frozen spinach and silver beet). Peel and crush garlic.
Heat oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until the spinach leaves have wilted down. Stir through garlic. Remove from heat. Using a pair of kitchen scissors chop the spinach (still in the pan), roughly.
Place ricotta in a large bowl and break up into large chunks using a spoon. Add eggs, Italian herb mix, pepper and salt. Add wilted spinach and mix well. Set aside.
To make the Onion Bechamel
Peel and finely dice the onion. Place butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Sprinkle the cooking onion with flour and quickly add half of the milk. Stir quickly for the sauce to thicken. Add the remaining milk and stir to bring to the simmer. Remove from heat.
To assemble the lasagne
Spread 3 tablespoons of Napoletana sauce over the baking paper-lined tin. Place 2 lasagne sheets over the top and spread with half of the spinach and ricotta mixture. Dollop a third of the onion bechamel over the ricotta mixture. Top with 2 lasagne sheets.
Spread the next layer with half of the leftover Napoletana Sauce. Top with spinach and ricotta mixture, spreading it to the edges. Dollop with a third of the onion bechamel. Top with the last 2 lasagne sheets.
Spread the rest of the Napoletana sauce over the lasagne sheets. Dollop with the bechamel and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the pasta is cooked through.
Notes
SPINACH NOTES500g fresh English or baby spinach = 280g frozen spinach = 1 bunch silver beet (about 6 big stalks)For frozen: make sure you thaw it out and squeeze out the water)For silver beet: remove white stalks, use leaves only, chopped roughly.