Across Italy · No.43 / 103
Spinach and ricotta lasagna
Spinach and ricotta lasagna
Spinach, ricotta, Genoese pesto, and béchamel are layered with egg lasagne; smoked scamorza and pine nuts add aroma and texture.
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Meet the dish
A vegetarian lasagna layered with spinach, ricotta, pesto, and béchamel
This meatless lasagna layers soft spinach and ricotta with basil pesto and béchamel. Smoked scamorza provides stretch and a gentle smoky note, while pine nuts add texture.
Pasta shapes to use
- Egg lasagne sheets
Key ingredients
- Spinach
- Ricotta
- Genoese pesto
- Béchamel
- Smoked scamorza
- Pine nuts
Follow the cooking scenes
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Step 1: Prepare three components
Blend basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese for the pesto. Cook flour in butter, whisk in warm milk, and thicken the béchamel for 5–6 minutes. Wilt spinach briefly in garlic-scented oil.
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Step 2: Build four layers
Coat the dish with béchamel and pesto. Repeat pasta, both sauces, spinach, crumbled ricotta, Parmigiano, and chopped scamorza until four layers are assembled.
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Step 3: Brown the surface
Scatter pine nuts over the final layer and bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes. Use the grill only for the final five minutes if a crisper top is wanted, then let the dish settle briefly.
What to watch for
- Wilt the spinach briefly and leave released liquid behind. Drain wet ricotta as well, so free water does not pool between the sheets.
- Pesto loses aroma and color under prolonged heat. Make it quickly, spread it in thin layers, and avoid extending the bake.
What sets it apart
Pesto, ricotta, smoked cheese, and pine nuts give this version a basil-led, lightly smoky character rather than a plain white spinach filling.