Ligurians traditionally prepare trenette al pesto with vegetables -- thinly sliced potatoes and string beans -- which they cook with the pasta, and then season everything with the sauce. It is easy to extend that concept to lasagna al pesto, which will be quite refreshing, and wholesome too.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings lasagne al pesto
Ingredients:
- 2/3 pound (300 g) freshly made lasagna
- 6 ounces (150 g) pesto sauce (about 3/4 cup)
- 2/3 pound (300 g) string beans, tips trimmed
- 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
- 3/4 pounds (350 g) crescenza cheese (see note)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Note: Crescenza is a mild slightly salty spreadable cheese. You could achieve something similar though a little drier by mixing equal amounts of cream cheese and ricotta. Another option would be tu use cottage cheese (fine curd).
Set a pot of water to boil. When it does, salt it and cook the string beans for 7-8 minutes. Remove the string beans with a slotted spoon, run them under cold water, and drain them well.
Put the potatoes in the water, and when it returns to a boil cook them for 5-6 minutes. Remove them with the slotted spoon, season them with a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of salt, and set them aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the water, and cook the pasta. When the sheets of pasta are done, remove them to a clean kitchen towel, keeping them separate lest they stick to each other.
Set your oven to 360 F (180 C).
While it's heating, lightly oil a 7 by 9-inch (16 by 24 cm) baking pan. Spread a little pesto sauce over the bottom, and cover it with a layer of pasta. Cover the pasta with a layer of green beans, some potatoes, some cheese, a bit more pesto, and continue with another pasta layer. Continue until all is used up, seasoning each layer to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake the lasagna for a half hour, and serve at once.
A wine? White, and I would go with something Ligurian, either a Pigato or a Vermentino (Colli di Luni or di Ponente).
Set a pot of water to boil. When it does, salt it and cook the string beans for 7-8 minutes. Remove the string beans with a slotted spoon, run them under cold water, and drain them well.
Put the potatoes in the water, and when it returns to a boil cook them for 5-6 minutes. Remove them with the slotted spoon, season them with a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of salt, and set them aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the water, and cook the pasta. When the sheets of pasta are done, remove them to a clean kitchen towel, keeping them separate lest they stick to each other.
Set your oven to 360 F (180 C).
While it's heating, lightly oil a 7 by 9-inch (16 by 24 cm) baking pan. Spread a little pesto sauce over the bottom, and cover it with a layer of pasta. Cover the pasta with a layer of green beans, some potatoes, some cheese, a bit more pesto, and continue with another pasta layer. Continue until all is used up, seasoning each layer to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake the lasagna for a half hour, and serve at once.
A wine? White, and I would go with something Ligurian, either a Pigato or a Vermentino (Colli di Luni or di Ponente).
