MORTAR AND PESTLE RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
  2. Melt 50g of the butter in a pan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk till smooth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the bay leaf and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  3. Remove the stalks from the spinach, then wilt with the remaining 20g butter in a covered pan. When wilted, drain, then, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the liquid.
  4. Chop the spinach and mix with the ricotta, a ladleful of the white sauce and a good grating of nutmeg. Season.
  5. In a baking dish, layer the lasagne sheets, white sauce, spinach mixture and a grating of Parmesan. Finish with a layer of pasta topped with sauce and more Parmesan.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes, or till golden.

Steps:

• 1. Peel the garlic, then pound in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.
  2. Pick, roughly chop and add the basil leaves, then bash to a paste (or pulse in a food processor).
  3. Add the pine nuts (very lightly toast first, if you like) to the mixture and pound again, then stir in half the Parmesan.
  4. Drizzle in some oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.
  5. Add most of the remaining cheese, then season to perfection with salt and black pepper. Have a taste, and keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
  6. Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to give it a little twang, if you like, but it’s not essential.