SPINACH LASAGNA PASTA 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:

• If you're using dried pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If you're using fresh pasta sheets, cut them into long wide noodles approximately 3 inches by 13 inches, or a size that will fit into your lasagna dish. Cook the noodles (6 at a time for dried noodles) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes); fresh pasta will take only a minute. Drain and then lay the noodles flat on a towel so they won't stick.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around. Put a layer of noodles (use four) in the dish, trimming any overhanging edges; top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach, and one-fourth of the ricotta (use your fingers to spread it evenly), the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Repeat the layers twice, and top with the remaining noodles, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan; the top should be covered with cheese; add more ricotta and Parmesan as needed. (The lasagna may be made ahead to this point, wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to a day or frozen. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving, or cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.