Ingredients:
- 2 boxes of dried lasagna pasta noodles
For the Spinach:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 6 medium garlic cloves minced
- Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds of Tatlo Spinach
For the Cheese Mixture:
- 2 pounds of homemade farmers cheese or fresh ricotta
- 2 large eggs
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 quart of Cowichan Milk Company whole milk or homo milk
- 12 ounces grated cheese of choice
Directions:
- If using lasagna pasta that requires pre-cooking, place a large pot on the stove with salted water and bring to a boil
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- In the meantime Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add shallots and garlic, salt and pepper. Stir frequently for about 1 minute. Add a few large handfuls of spinach at a time. Cook, until spinach releases moisture and most of the liquid cooks off. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Press spinach with a spoon in a fine mesh strainer to get out extra moisture.
- Add lasagna noodles to boiling water.
- Mix farmers cheese or ricotta with the two eggs
- Transfer spinach to food processor and pulse until finely chopped, .
- Fold spinach into cheese/egg mixture
- Strain noodles when still al dente and rinse thoroughly
- Make the Béchamel Sauce by heating butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Add flour to butter and whisk for 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in milk. Continue whisking until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add 3/4 of grated cheese.
To Assemble:
- Pour a small amount of béchamel sauce over the bottom of a large casserole dish. Add a layer of noodles. Top with a 10th of spinach/cheese mixture and 1/10th if remaining béchamel sauce.Keep layering pasta, spinach, and bechemel sauce until you lay down the top sheet of pasta or until casserole dish starts to look full.
- Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and pour remaining bechemel sauce. Spread into an even layer.
- Cover tightly with foil or top with a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes longer.
- Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving;. Enjoy!
