A False Lasagna...A Miscalculation....Interesting Outcome!!


Maria loves lasagna!! For today Sunday I promised her lasagna al pesto which she loves...Since we are not eating pasta made out of wheat flour anymore, our pantry had some pasta left. I was sure we had a whole box of lasagna (500 gms) . When it was time to make the lasagna I saw I only had 5 sheets of lasagna but I had a whole box of canneloni!! Since I could not go back on my word, I used the canneloni as well. This, guys, might happen to you someday (when you get old like me). So this is what I did....

Ingredients for a false lasagna:

Serves 4

-  500 gr of canneloni.
-  5 sheets of lasagna.
-  230 gr grated mozzarella cheese.

For the Pesto:
-  1 big handful of fresh basil leaves.
-  3 cloves of garlic.
-  100 gms of grated parmesan cheese.
-  ½ cup of olive oil
-  50 gr pine nuts.

For the béchamel sauce:
-  1 liter of milk.
-  100 gr of butter.
-  50 gr flour.
-  Pinch of lavender.
-  Large pinch of nutmeg.
-  Salt and white pepper to taste.

Method:

* For the pesto:
-  Put the washed basil leaves into a multi mixer.
-  Add the cloves of garlic.
-  Add the olive oil.
-  Add the pine nuts.
-  Add the grated parmesan cheese.
-  Blitz enough times to render the pesto as fluid as possible. set aside.

*  For the béchamel sauce:
-  Melt the butter.
-  Add the flour.
-  Stir for 1 minute or so till butter and flour are well mixed and the flour is slightly cooked.
-  Start adding the milk slowly and keep stirring.
-  Having added the milk, add the lavender, nutmeg, salt and pepper and keep stirring until you obtain the required consistency.(It should be on the fluid side)
-  Set asside.

Putting the dish together:

-  Use a 25 x 35 cm non stick oven dish.
-  Add some béchamel sauce to cover bottem.
-  Lay all the canneloni.
-  Pour béchamel sauce over them.
-  Pour half the pesto to cover.
-  Sprinkle half of mozzarella cheese to cover.
-  Lay the 5 sheets of lasagna you have.
-  Cover with the remaining béchamel, pesto, and grated cheese.
-  Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees C with air till you obtain a beautiful color on the surface of the lasagna and all the béchamel is absored.
-  Let stand for about 20 minutes to cool.
-  Serve with an iceberg lettuce, cherry tomato, rocket salad.

Believe me, I really got myself out of hot spot!!!  There was no difference, really, for everyday food.

Bon Appétit,
Stelio

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