When I was a kid this would have been my idea of a cruel and twisted punishment devised by adults — a lasagne with not only spinach but broccoli too!!
As an adult I’ve learnt an important lesson “Cheese makes broccoli taste good and as the grown up I am in charge of the cheese!” So whilst this is a spinach and broccoli lasagne it is layered with white sauce rich in wine and pecorino and every layer gets more cheese (4-different cheeses to be exact)! Veggies? What veggies!
Spinach Broccoli & Pecorino Lasagne
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Spinach
– 2 large bunches of spinach, cleaned and trimmed
– 1 red onion
– 2 cloves of garlic
– 300gms ricotta cheese
– 1 head of broccoli, broken into spears
– 1,5 liters béchamel
– 120mls white wine
– 250gms grated pecorino (or other sharp cheese)
– 60gms grated mozzarella
– 60gms grated Parmesan
– dry lasagne sheets
– dry lasagne sheets
To prepare the spinach, trim and wash carefully, place in a large pan over high heat. Once the spinach has wilted and softened, remove and place in a colander. Press as much of the water out as you can. In the same pan, heat some oil and cook the onion till softened, then add the spinach and cook for two minutes, check the seasoning – now add the ricotta cheese and stir it in till combined – set aside. To prepare the broccoli, heat a cm of water in a small pan, once boiling add the broccoli and cook for 1-minute, drain and rinse under cold water, then drain. Cut the broccoli into slices, so that you can layer it in a single layer.
When you are preparing your bèchamel replace 120mls of the milk with white wine, once it is ready add 250gms of grated cheese and allow it to blend in. It will be more like the cheese sauce for a mac ‘n cheese than for a lasagne.
To assemble the lasagne place some of the white sauce on the bottom of the lasagne dish. Then a sheet of the lasagne, more of the white sauce and then half of the spinach and ricotta mix. Top the spinach with half the grated parmesan cheese and then more white sauce, top this with a sheet of dry pasta. Top this with more white sauce and then place the broccoli in a single layer, top that with some of the reserved grated pecorino cheese and then more white sauce. Top with pasta and repeat with the last of the spinach & ricotta and the remaining parmesan. A final layer of white sauce and pasta all topped off with the mozzarella cheese! Bake at 180°C for 25-35 minutes till golden and bubbling.