Lasagna with Four Cheeses

[kirra]

Lasagna with Four Cheeses

Few baked pastas are as rich and satisfying as this dish inspired by recipes from northern Italy.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

3 1/2 cups milk
1 fresh rosemary sprig, 2 inches long
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Bread Crumbs:

1 loaf good-quality country-style white bread, about 1/2 lb,
cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

20 sheets lasagne

Preparation:

Bechamel Sauce:
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the rosemary sprig and place over medium-low heat until small bubbles appear along the pan edge.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk to form a smooth paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. When the milk is hot, add the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Bread Crumbs:
Preheat over to 350. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the bread cubes to produce coarse crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the crumbs, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add enough olive oil to moisten the mixture slightly. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until barely golden, 2-4 minutes.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the toasted nuts, ricotta, mascarpone, Fontina, 1 cup of the Parmesan, rosemary, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add 1 cup of the béchamel and stir vigorously to mix.

Fill a deep pot three-fourths full with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Using tongs, dip the lasagna sheets into the boiling water for 10 seconds, then lay them on a kitchen towel to drain.

Assembly:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch lasagna pan. Top with a layer of pasta, then with a layer of the cheese mixture. Top with a layer 1/4 inch thick of the béchamel. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan. Top with another layer of pasta sheets. Alternate layers of the cheese mixture and béchamel and Parmesan, until all the ingredients except the Parmesan are used up, ending with Béchamel. Scatter the remaining Parmesan and the bread crumbs over the top. Cover and bake until the dish is bubbling, 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the bread crumbs are crunchy, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.