Asparagus and Walnut Pesto Lasagne

17/11/2023

Here is the recipe for delicious asparagus and walnut pesto lasagne, with an Italian twist. If you do not have some of the ingredients, I can suggest alternatives.

Ingredients

250 g of fresh or dry lasagne sheets
500 g of asparagus
150 g of walnuts
1 clove of garlic
80 g of grated Parmesan cheese
200 ml of cooking cream
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to taste

For the béchamel sauce:

500 ml of milk
50 g of flour
50 g of butter
Nutmeg to taste
Salt to taste

Preparation

Start by cleaning the asparagus, removing the tougher end of the stems, and cook them in a pot with boiling salted water for about 5-10 minutes. They should be tender but still crisp. Set aside a few asparagus tips for the final garnish.
In the meantime, prepare the asparagus and walnut pesto. Blend the cooked asparagus with the walnuts, garlic clove, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of oil until smooth. Add half of the Parmesan and mix well.
Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Pour in the hot milk gradually to avoid lumps, add salt and nutmeg, and cook until it thickens.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan and mix it with the asparagus pesto to make it creamier. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
Now assemble the lasagne. In a baking dish, pour a dash of oil and spread a layer of béchamel sauce, then arrange a layer of lasagne sheets, cover with some asparagus pesto, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Continue alternating layers until all the ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel and Parmesan.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C for about 25-30 minutes or until the lasagne is golden on top.
Serve the asparagus and walnut pesto lasagne garnished with the asparagus tips set aside and, if you wish, some whole walnuts.

Trivia

Lasagne is a traditional Italian dish, especially typical of the Emilia-Romagna region. The version I have proposed is a spring variant that exploits the sweetness of asparagus. In this recipe, I have combined walnuts to add a crunchy touch and a unique flavor that pairs very well with the taste of asparagus.