Pesto Lasagna

By debbreck

Peter Maluk gave me this recipe - and it is fantastic.

Ingredients

• Pesto:
• 5-6 cloves young garlic; or 3-4 cloves mature garlic
• Coarse Salt
• Whole black peppercorns
• 4 cups roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3/4 cup virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
• 2/3 cup Parmesan and Pecorino Mixed
• Bechamel Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups half and half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• Bouquet garni (Thyme, parsley, bay leaf, black peppercorns, onion, and garlic)
• 2 -egg pasta dough
• 1/3 cup Parmesan and bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter

Preparation

Step 1

Make the pesto by combining all ingredients in food processor. To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, and when it is gently foaming add the flour and whisk together. Cook the roux over low heat for five minutes or so, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to let the flour brown. Turn off the heat and let it cool a little. Combine the half and half and cream and heat them almost to the boiling point. Pour them into the roux, in a steady stream, whisking all the while until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper and a subtle amount of nutmeg.

Make a bouquet garni of a few sprigs each of thyme and parsley, a bay leaf, a few black peppercorns, a slice or two of onion, and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic. Wrap these ingredients in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it with a string. Put the bouquet garni and the bechamel in the top of a double boiler, cover, and let it simmer for an hour or so, stirring occasionally as it cooks. Remove it from the heat and let it cool while you cook/prepare the pasta.

Remove the bouquet garni from the bechamel and blend the two sauces together(pesto and bechamel). Layer the lasagna noodles with a light even coating of the sauce; repeat layers of pasta and sauce until the dish is filled. These quantities will fill a dish approximately 12 by 9 by 2 inches. Cover the top layer with a layer of Parmesan and fresh bread crumbs and dot with butter. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, or until the cheese and bread crumb top is golden brown. Let the lasagna cool slightly before serving.