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Lasagne with salsa verde

Main
Serves 6-8
Prep 30 min
Cook 2 hr 10 min
Rest 30 min

Straight from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen comes our highly requested lasagne recipe, a fresh twist on the Italian classic. It's an Ottolenghi creation that combines traditional comfort food with the freshness and tang of herbs and caper-berries and herbs in the salsa verde. This zesty Italian green sauce cuts through the richness of the ragu adding a bright, herby note.

Easy to follow, our recipe guides you through creating the perfect ragu, a classic béchamel and assembly.

Versatile for any season, serve with one of our many signature salads in the spring or summer or a tray of roasted root vegetables in the autumn or winter.

Ingredients

RAGU
4 carrots (200g), peeled and roughly chopped
1 large onion (200g), roughly chopped
4 celery stalks (200g), roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp for baking
400g pork sausages, casings removed and broken into chunks
500g beef mince (12% fat)
3 tbsp mild biber paste, or tomato paste
250ml red wine, we recommend a full bodied Italian
300ml passata
black pepper
flaked sea salt
BÉCHAMEL
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
500ml milk
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
black pepper
flaked sea salt
LASAGNE
250g lasagne pasta sheets
100g parmesan, grated
250g pre-grated mozzarella
SALSA VERDE
15g parsley, finely chopped
100ml olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
25g caperberries (or capers), finely minced
½ shallot, sliced finely into half moons (40g)

Method

  1. Place the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the vegetables are finely grated. Place a large heavy bottomed casserole dish over medium high heat. Melt the butter in the olive oil and add in the blitzed vegetables, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and become translucent but haven’t coloured. Add in the pork sausages, beef mince, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt, and continue to cook the meat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the biber paste and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the red wine and cook for 10 minutes, followed by the passata and 500ml water. Using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to release any dark, crispy bits. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes or until dark red and saucy. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  2. For the béchamel, place the butter into a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and cook, whisking continuously for 30 seconds or until it smells like popcorn. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking to avoid any lumps. Once all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is smooth, add in ¼ teaspoon black pepper, grated nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened but still somewhat runny, and no longer floury-tasting. Set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 160C. To assemble the lasagne, spread a large ladle of ragu on the base of a 22X31cm high sided ovenproof dish, then cover with a layer of pasta sheets (3-4 sheets). Spread ¼ of the remaining ragu over the pasta, followed by ¼ of the béchamel, followed by ¼ of the parmesan. Repeat the layers three more times, top with an even layer of mozzarella, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 minutes, rotating halfway through, until evenly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  4. While the lasagne is resting, make the salsa verde by combining all the ingredients. To serve, cut the lasagne into 8 (or 10) even pieces and serve alongside the salsa verde to drizzle over.

Lasagne tips from the Test Kitchen

Rest before serving: Allow your lasagne to rest for 15-20 minutes after baking. This helps the layers set, making it easier to slice and serve.

Seasoning is key: Taste and adjust seasoning in your ragu and bechamel.

Even coverage: Spread each layer of your lasagne recipe evenly to ensure consistent texture and flavor in every bite.

Prep ahead: the lasagne can be assembled in advance and refrigerated, or frozen. Just make sure you bring to room temperature before cooking.

Serve with something simple, ie a simple side salad to balance the richness of your lasagne.