Wild Leek Pesto Lasagna
(Food For Thought)


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Ingredients

For Pesto
1/3 cup Olive oil
3 cup Wild leek greens (chopped)
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tbs Fresh thyme
For sauce
5 tbs Butter
5 tbs Flour
3 3/4 cups Hot whole milk
1/8 tsp Nutmeg (ground)
1/4 cup Romano cheese (grated)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
For filling
1 lb Dried lasagna noodles
8 ounces Frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 tbs Olive oil
1 Small onion (finely diced)
1 lb Land of Goshen goat cheese
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups Leelanau Raclette cheese (shredded)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

Prepare pesto: Heat skillet over medium heat and pour 2 tablespoons oil into warm pan. Lower heat to medium-low and sweat leeks until soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside, and let cool 10 minutes. Place nuts in food processor and process until fine. Add sautéed leeks, cheese, thyme and part of the oil; blend until smooth. Add additional oil if needed to reach a smooth, creamy consistency. Set aside.

Prepare mornay sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk flour and nutmeg together and whisk into butter. Cook until roux is bubbly and has Christmas cookie fragrance, but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in hot milk. Return pan to heat and, whisking occasionally, simmer sauce until thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cheese.

Assemble lasagna: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add VitaSpelt spelt lasagna noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.

Squeeze liquid from spinach well and discard liquid. Heat large skillet over medium heat and add oil. When hot add onion and sauté until tender. Add chopped spinach and heat through. Remove skillet from heat and stir in pesto.

In a large bowl mix goat cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In a 3-quart oiled baking dish, layer 1/4 of noodles then approximately 1/3 spinach/pesto mixture, followed by 1/3 goat cheese mixture. Spread 1/4 of mornay sauce and 1/4 of Raclette. Repeat layers ending with noodles on top.

Spread remaining mornay sauce over top of noodles, followed by the remaining Raclette and sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake until bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes. Move to the highest rack increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and bake another 10 minutes or until cheese just starts to brown. Cool slightly before cutting.
 
 
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