Lasagna Primavera

Each layer of this lasagna primavera is packed with fresh vegetables. We used asparagus but artichoke hearts would be just as delicious in their place or in addition to the other ingredients. If you like, fresh or frozen artichoke hearts will make another memorable addition. If you are among the fortunate to find fresh fava beans in your local market, add some. About one cup will do. (Cook and peel the fava before using them.)

This lasagna tastes bright and fresh when served on the day it is made but it reheats well to serve the next day too.

Course: Pasta

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the besciamella (cream sauce)

5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp flour
1 quart milk, warmed
1 cup grated asiago or Parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
grated black pepper, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

For the vegetables

½ cup (2 ounces) diced bacon, optional
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 leeks, trimmed, split in half and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
6 stalks of asparagus, trimmed, split in half cut into three pieces
1 cup fresh peas, sugar snap peas or snow peas
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise, the cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 plump scallions, chopped
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
12 dry lasagna noodles or fresh pasta sheets
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced, optional
½ cup grated asiago or Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch casserole.
For the besciamella (cream sauce), melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour cooking until the mixture lightens and starts to bubble around the edges. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Set aside.
For the vegetables, cook the bacon, if using, over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add enough olive oil so that there is about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add the garlic and cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, for about one minute. Add theleeks. Stir and cook until the leeks soften without browning, for about 4 minutes. Add asparagus, peas, zucchini, scallions and ½ cup water. Cook until the vegetables are barely tender and no liquid remains, for 5-7 minutes. Season to taste.
Bring a large stock pot of salted water to boil. Cook the dry lasagna noodles for about 8 minutes. (If using fresh pasta, cook the sheets for about 2 minutes.) Drain well.
Spread ½ cup of the of besciamella (cream sauce) on the bottom of the pan. Cover the sauce completely with three lasagna noodles, cutting them to ﬁt the pan as needed. Spread with another ½ cup of besciamella (cream sauce), and scatter one third of the bacon, cooked vegetables and diced tomatoes evenly over the sauce.
Continue layering cooked lasagna noodles with besciamella (cream sauce), bacon, vegetables and cheese. Add some fresh mozzarella, if using, to the middle layer. You should have three layers in the casserole. Top the last layer with the three remaining lasagna noodles
Spread the remaining besciamella (cream sauce) over the top and sprinkle with ½ cup of cheese.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the pasta is heated through, the top is browned, and the sauce starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from oven and let the lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.