Spinach & Ricotta Lasagne

Just simply because lasagne is divine, and we can all do with some on standby in the freezer.

Makes: 6 Serves

Ingredients:

• 70 g unsalted butter

• 50 g plain flour

• 800 ml milk

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 800 g spinach

• 200 g ricotta cheese

• 1 whole nutmeg , for grating

• 300 g fresh lasagne sheets

• 100 g Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas 5.

2. Melt 50g of the butter in a pan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk till smooth. Season, add the bay leaf and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat.

3. Remove the stalks from the spinach, then wilt with the remaining 20g butter in a covered pan. When wilted, drain and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the liquid.

4. Chop the spinach and mix with the ricotta, a ladleful of the white sauce and a good grating of nutmeg. Season.

5. In a baking dish, layer the lasagne sheets, white sauce, spinach mixture and a grating of Parmesan. Finish with a layer of pasta topped with sauce and more Parmesan.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or till golden.

Serve with a salad of fresh tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers or use this link for a toasted almond, rocket and parsley salad: https://www.belazu.com/recipe/toasted-almond-rocket-parsley-salad/