PESTO LASAGNE RECIPES

Steps:

• To prepare pesto lasagna , start with the pesto (for the complete procedure you can see our Genoese pesto recipe): first off, clean the basil leaves with a clean cloth, do not wash them with water. Then take a mortar and pound the peeled garlic together with a pinch of coarse salt: once you have a creamy mixture, add the basil leaves and another pinch of coarse salt 1 . Crush the basil by turning pestle and mortar in the opposite direction 2 . Add the pine nuts and grated cheese as you continue to crush the ingredients. Finally, add the oil 3 a little at a time, continuing to mix the ingredients well with the pestle until you obtain a homogeneous sauce. Alternatively, you can make the pesto in a blender, taking care to cool the blades in the refrigerator first and blend for the shortest possible time to prevent the basil from discoloring.
• Set the pesto aside 4 . As an alternative to the mortar, you can proceed with a blender fitted with blades for making pesto. Now proceed with the homemade pasta. Pour the sieved flour into a bowl (keep about 1/4-1/3 cup (30-40 g) to add later if needed) 5 . Add the eggs and start mixing the ingredients with a fork, incorporating the flour a little at a time 6 .
• Then knead the dough with your hands 7 for at least 10 minutes until a soft and homogeneous mixture is obtained. Shape into a loaf 8 , wrap it with plastic wrap and let it rest in a cool, dry place for about 30 minutes. Now make the béchamel sauce: heat the milk in a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then turn off the heat and add the sifted flour a little at a time 9 , stirring continuously with a whisk to prevent any lumps. Then put the butter and flour mixture back over low heat and stir until golden.
• Season the milk with nutmeg and salt, then pour it a little at a time into the butter and flour mixture 10 , stir vigorously with a whisk 11 . Cook for 5-6 minutes on a low heat and continue stirring until the sauce thickens and starts to boil. Your béchamel sauce is ready, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool down 12 .
• In the meantime, pick up the fresh dough, sprinkle it with very little 00 flour, then divide it into 2 portions; wrap in plastic the one you are not using immediately to prevent it from drying out and put the other through a pasta machine (alternatively you can roll out the dough by hand with a rolling pin), flatten the dough and pass it through the rollers of the machine, from the widest to the thinnest thickness gradually until you get a very thin sheet of dough 13 . From the sheets of dough, cut 22 rectangles measuring 4x6 inches (10x15 cm) with a smooth pastry cutter or a knife 14 . Place the sheets on a tray with flour to prevent them from sticking 15 .
• Bring a saucepan full of slightly salted water to a boil, blanch the sheets for 1 minute 16 , drain them and place them on a tray drizzling them with a little oil so they won't stick 17 . You can also quickly dip the pasta sheets in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Once the pasta is cooked, take a 12x8-inch (30x20 cm) ovenproof dish and grease the bottom with a little oil 18 .
• Spoon a layer of béchamel sauce 19 then one of pesto 20 , and lay 3 sheets of pasta on top 21 , overlapping them slightly.
• Cover with béchamel sauce 22 and pesto, taking care to distribute the sauces evenly with a spoon 23 , sprinkle with grated cheese 24 and repeat with another layer of fresh pasta sheets until the ingredients are used up (you will need 6 layers composed of 3 sheets each).
• Finish off the last layer with 4 sheets of dough arranged horizontally (25-26), then top with béchamel sauce and pesto 27 .
• Mix the sauces well to obtain a more homogeneous cream 28 and finish with a layer of grated cheese 29 . Now bake the pesto lasagna in a preheated static oven at 360°F (180°C) for 15 minutes, then continue for another 5 minutes in grill mode (if you like a softer surface, you can skip this step). Take the pesto lasagna out of the oven and let it cool slightly before taking to the table 30 !

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Butter a 13 by 9 by 4 baking dish and add a thin layer of besciamella (bechamel sauce). Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, and then another thin layer of besciamella. Gently spread about 4 tablespoons pesto across the surface, and then top with about 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat until you finish layering the lasagne. Top with a final layer of noodles and spread a final very thin layer besciamella, pesto, Parmesan cheese and a little butter to help the cheese crisp-up when cooked in the oven. 
•  Cook the lasagne for about 30 minutes. Serve dressed with some Parmesan and a drop of extra-virgin olive oil.
• Fresh Pesto: Combine the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a mortar and pestle and pound until paste forms. Add the Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, salt and pepper and stir until smooth. 
•  Keep the pesto in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. 
•  Mix the pasta and the pesto...serve garnished with some grated Parmesan (just a touch), fresh ground pepper and a sprinkle of olive oil.
• Besciamella: Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the floury taste. 
• Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.