Directions
Lasagna with asparagus is the spring dish par excellence. There are few recipes so delicious and full of aromas, all thanks to asparagus, the undisputed protagonist of these spring months.
The recipe for making this lasagna with asparagus is long, laborious and full of steps, but it’s worth it, especially if you have to feed large tables of family members or guests.
On the speck, you do, if you want to add it, it does not change much as preparation, but the taste is much more intense and savory.
If you do not find or you do not like them, the hazelnuts replace with pine nuts.
Ingredients for asparagus and ricotta lasagna10 servings
For the dough
- 1 kg of type 0 soft wheat flour
- 10 eggs
For the bechamel
- 1 liter of milk
- 100 grams of butter
- 80 grams of flour
- 20 grams of grated lemon peel
- 10 grams of salt
- 10 grams of pepper
- grams of nutmeg
For the asparagus sauce
- 1 kg of asparagus (if you find the wild ones even better)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 35 grams of parsley
- 150 grams of Prosciutto di Parma or speck
- 120 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano
- 100 grams of ricotta, optional
- 100 grams of hazelnuts, optional
How to prepare the perfect asparagus lasagna
Let’s start preparing the asparagus right away. If they have hard skin, peel them lightly with a potato peeler, set aside a few tips for garnish and then steam them. In a pan, fry the garlic clove gently in 4 tablespoons of oil, add the coarsely chopped parsley, the asparagus into chunks and the ham cut into strips. Salt, pepper, a drop of water and cook over low heat.
Prepare a thin sheet that you will cut into regular pieces, as large as the pan.
Melt the butter over low heat, add the sifted flour, and mix without burning for the bechamel. Add the milk slowly, without stopping stirring, season with salt, pepper, add a good sprinkling of nutmeg and grated lemon peel. Boil until the mixture is thick, continuing to stir.
Grease a baking tray and start rolling out the pastry alternating with a layer of sauce seasoned with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano and béchamel.
Go on with the layers to compose the lasagna until you have obtained the desired height. Sprinkle the last layer with Parmesan cheese, extra bechamel and flakes of butter.
Bake in the oven at 170 ° C for about 40 minutes.
Sauté the tips kept aside in butter, garlic and parsley and use them to garnish the lasagna with ricotta and crumbled hazelnuts.
Otherwise, blend the asparagus tips and decorate with this simple sauce, before placing the lasagna on top.
Tips for making the perfect baked lasagna
If you love to go out on a picnic, go hunting for wild asparagus. They taste delicious and are small and crunchy in the mouth, so don’t overcook them. Other valid alternatives are the green asparagus from Altedo, the white asparagus from Bassano, or the tiny masterpieces that come from the area of Bolzano, Terlano, and Vilpiano.
If you want to add a smoky touch to your lasagna, replace Prosciutto di Parma with speck. If you want a vegetarian lasagna, remove the ham and add a few mozzarella or scamorza cheese slices.
Which wine goes well with baked lasagna with asparagus and ricotta?
One of the great classics of food and wine pairings is the asparagus-Sauvignon Blanc combination and with good reason.
The “green” flavors and aromas of both marry perfectly and the rich aromatic bouquet of Sauvignon Blanc helps to harmonize the savory sensations of the dish. We choose a wine with character and a good body, fresh and mineral to cut the creamy sweetness of the béchamel and which can resist the intense flavors of lasagna. The Sauvignon Blanc from the Niklas winery is perfect.
If you prefer a salty wine, you are spoiled for choice: a Vermentino di Gallura with its exquisite flavor and lemon scents or an Inzolia, characterized by a rich, fruity bouquet where there is no lack of balsamic hints. Remaining in Sicily, even a rosé like Cerasuolo di Vittoria lends itself very well to pairing.
Lasagna with asparagus, with that savory but creamy flavor, also lends itself to more sparkling combinations with Prosecco, Champagne and Franciacorta or an excellent Monti Lessini DOC Spumante.
