Lasagne with eggplant, pesto, hazelnuts and parsley
10 servings
165 minutes
Lasagna with eggplants, pesto, hazelnuts, and parsley is a masterpiece of Italian cuisine that combines sophistication and richness of flavors. The dish's origins trace back to the traditions of northern Italy, where fresh herbs and nuts often complement classic pastas. The delicate béchamel sauce gives the dish a creamy texture while the aromatic pesto with hazelnuts adds a nutty note. Baked eggplants soften the rich taste of ricotta, creating a harmonious blend with the layers of lasagna. The dish captivates not only with its gastronomy but also with its exquisite presentation: a golden crust of parmesan and nuts completes the flavor ensemble. This lasagna is an ideal choice for a cozy dinner that impresses with its depth of flavor and Mediterranean charm.
1
To make béchamel sauce, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 3-liter pot over medium heat and add 1 minced garlic clove. Sauté for 1 minute, then add flour and, stirring actively, keep on heat for 3 minutes. Pour milk into the flour mixture, add a bay leaf, and continue stirring until it boils. Then reduce the heat and cook the sauce for about 10 minutes while stirring. When the liquid reduces to 4 cups, add salt (1 teaspoon) and white pepper, stir, and remove from heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Cover the sauce with wax paper and leave at room temperature.
- Butter: 3 tablespoons
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Wheat flour: 5 tablespoon
- Milk: 5 glass
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
- Salt: to taste
- Ground white pepper: 0.1 teaspoon
2
Chop a portion of the hazelnuts (1/3 cup) coarsely and set aside for the finished lasagna.
- Hazelnuts: 150 g
3
For the pesto, blend the remaining nuts, parmesan (1.5 cups), 2/3 cup of olive oil, garlic (2 cloves), salt (1 teaspoon), black pepper (1 teaspoon), and chopped parsley (3 cups) in a food processor until smooth.
- Hazelnuts: 150 g
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 180 g
- Olive oil: 1.5 glass
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Chopped parsley: 4 glasss
4
Mix 1/4 cup of prepared pesto with 1/4 cup of olive oil and set aside for the lasagna.
- Olive oil: 1.5 glass
- Hazelnuts: 150 g
5
For the filling, beat 1 egg in a large bowl. Then add ricotta, 1 cup of parsley, the remaining pesto, salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
- Ricotta cheese: 400 g
- Chopped parsley: 4 glasss
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220 degrees for the eggplants. Slice the eggplants into rounds about 7 mm thick, brush both sides with olive oil, arrange in a single layer on 2 baking sheets, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place both sheets in the oven (on the top and middle racks). Bake the eggplants for 20-25 minutes, flipping once and swapping the sheets.
- Eggplants: 4 pieces
- Olive oil: 1.5 glass
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
7
To assemble the lasagna, grease a glass or ceramic baking dish (about 25x4 cm) and place it on a baking sheet lined with foil.
8
Pour 1 cup of béchamel sauce into the form and cover with 3 sheets of lasagna dough. Evenly spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture and 1 layer of eggplant on top. Then add another layer of béchamel sauce, dough, ricotta, and eggplant. Pour béchamel sauce over the second layer of eggplant and cover with sheets of dough. Then make a third layer of béchamel sauce and cover with the remaining sheets of dough. On the third layer of dough, place the remaining ricotta, the last part of béchamel, and cover everything with eggplant. Sprinkle parmesan and coarsely chopped hazelnuts on the eggplants.
- Milk: 5 glass
- Lasagna dough: 9 pieces
- Ricotta cheese: 400 g
- Eggplants: 4 pieces
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 180 g
- Hazelnuts: 150 g
9
Grease a large sheet of foil with oil and tightly cover the lasagna (oiled side down). Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven on the middle rack at 210 degrees for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and return the lasagna to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Wait until the lasagna is covered with a golden crust.
- Olive oil: 1.5 glass
10
Cool the prepared lasagna (15-20 minutes). Before serving, drizzle with the previously prepared and reserved pesto sauce.
- Olive oil: 1.5 glass