🔗 Share this article

In developing a guide to Italian noodles, an acquaintance originally from Naples advised planning lasagne as if it were architectural layout. The idea is to start by calculating the measurements of your oven tray relative to the pasta sheets, then choose the layer count to correctly distribute the components. It was also decided that assembling a lasagne should blend the precision of a stonemason with the freeform style of a splatter artist when adding the sauces.

Working with Dried Pasta

A typical lasagne dish is sized a medium rectangular shape, and approximately three standard-sized dried lasagne sheets make up a complete tier. To prepare a five-layer lasagne, you’ll need around fifteen pieces. Many contemporary dried lasagne needs no pre-cooking, but the noodles depend heavily on a fairly wet sauce to cook properly. Because this particular recipe uses a less watery sauce, it’s best to submerge for a moment the sheets in boiling water for a short while, then move them into cold water and lay them out on a tea towel to remove excess moisture. This process speeds up the oven time, which helps preserve the tender quality of the summer squash and fresh cheese layer.

Cheese Choices and Substitutions

Considering the current cost of cheese—and also what you may have in your cooler—we include a range of quantities for the soft cheese, hard cheese and either semi-soft cheese. You can also swap in other cheeses depending on what you have on hand, and compensate with ample salt and pepper and aromatic greens. Crucial for building the taste, however, is beginning by cooking the cubed courgettes in olive oil with a a bit of salt. This is not to cook them fully—they will continue melting in the baking process, blending into the cheese and bechamel which functions as a holding layer for the lasagne.

Letting It Set

In my experience, lasagne is consistently improved if you let it rest for at least 20 minutes before dishinig out—possibly an hour in a gentle warmth. This waiting period gives the ingredients to mingle and the finished product—especially the melted cheese—to set properly. That way, it slices cleanly into portions. Naturally, the final slice warmed up the next day is truly the best part.

Lasagne with Courgette and Three Cheeses

Feeds four to six

Fifteen flat pasta layers, or enough for five tiers

3 tbsp extra virgin oil, additional for preparing the dish

3 large or 4 medium zucchinis, cubed into bite-size chunks

Seasoning to taste

14 ounces ricotta

1 heaped tbsp freshly cut oregano

3 ounces butter, plus extra for dotting

2.5 ounces all-purpose flour

3.5 cups full-fat milk

Fresh nutmeg

A good handful parmesan, finely grated

4-7 ounces melting cheese, diced into chunks

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

Instructions

Prepare the lasagne sheets according to the box guidelines; if blanching them, lay them on tea towels until ready to use.

Pour the oil in a pan over a steady burner, then cook the diced zucchini with a sprinkle of salt, stirring occasionally until they become slightly translucent. Note they will continue to soften in the oven, so take off the flame and allow to cool for a short time. Stir in the soft cheese, marjoram and another seasoning.

Heat the butter in a pot, then add the white flour and combine to make a smooth mixture. Slowly whisk in the whole milk and simmer, mixing often, until the creamy sauce thickens. Spice with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a tablespoon of the hard cheese.

Brush the bottom of an baking pan with oil, add a spoonful of the white sauce, then create a base layer of pasta noodles. Spread another layer using one portion of the bechamel, topped with one part of the squash mixture, some of the cheese chunks and a dusting of grated cheese. Repeat with another noodle tier, then continue layering for the remaining layers, topping with a top tier of pasta. Top that with the leftover cream, the toasted crumbs and patsof butter, then bake at 390°F/moderate oven for about half an hour, or until the sides are golden and the top is beautifully baked.