ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

By ozzie

Ingredients

• 4 pounds asparagus
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 sheets no boil lasagne
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 7 ounces goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 2/3 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cut the tips off each asparagus spear and reserve them. In each of 2 large shallow baking pans toss half the asparagus stalks with half the oil, coating them well, and roast them in a preheated 500F oven, shaking the pans every few minutes for 5 to 10 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Sprinkle the asparagus with salt to taste and let it cool. Cut the roasted asparagus into 1/2 inch lengths and reserve it.

2. In a large bowl of cold water let the sheets of lasagne soak for 15 minutes or until they are softened in a saucepan melt the butter add the flour and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the broth and the water in a stream, whisking simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, and whisk in the goat cheese, the zest and salt to taste, whisking until the sauce is smooth.

3. Drain the pasta well, arrange 1 sheet of it in each of 2 buttered 8 inch square baking dishes, and spread each sheet with one fourth of the sauce. Top the sauce in each dish with 1/4 of the reserved roasted asparagus and sprinkle the asparagus with 1/3 cup of the parmesan. Continues to layer the pasta, the sauce, the asparagus and the parmesan in the same manner. Ending with a sheet of pasta. In a bowl beat the cream with a pinch of salt until it holds soft peaks. Arrange the reserved asparagus tips decoratively on the pasta, spoon the cream over the pasta and the asparagus tips, spreading it with the back of the spoon, and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup parmesan on top.

4. Bake the lasagne in the middle of a preheated 400F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.