Rich Spinach and Leek Lasagna
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- Prep Time 25 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour, 15 minutes plus cooling
- Yield Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 3 pounds leeks (white and light-green parts only), sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and rinsed well
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 3 cups frozen spinach (three 10-ounce packages), thawed and liquid squeezed out
- 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 recipe Basic Bechamel Sauce
- 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 3/4 cups grated Parmesan (3 1/4 ounces)
Directions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and upper third. Divide leeks between two rimmed baking sheets. Toss each with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, 20 minutes, stirring leeks and rotating sheets halfway through. Let sheets cool on wire racks.
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Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add red pepper, parsley, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to a medium bowl.
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Spread 1 cup sauce in an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles. Layer with half the spinach, then 1 cup sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 2 more noodles, half the leeks, 1 cup sauce, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, reserving the last 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover lasagna loosely with foil and bake on top rack until sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. (Place a rimmed baking sheet on middle rack to catch any drippings.) Remove lasagna from oven and heat broiler. Sprinkle with reserved Parmesan and broil until cheese is browned and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before slicing.
Made this recipe when I first saw it in an addition of Everyday Food, and absolutely loved it! I added mushrooms and it was delicious. The Bechamel recipe makes more than enough sauce. I added a touch of nutmeg and cayenne to mine to really kick up the flavors. Yum Yum!!!