Name: Pesto greens and three-cheese lasagne
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil , plus extra for the baking dish; 3 leeks , washed and chopped (including green parts); 3 garlic cloves , crushed; 25g basil , chopped; 500g baby or young leaf spinach , chopped; 2 x 250g tubs ricotta; 250g tub mascarpone; 50ml vegetable stock or water; 50g parmesan , grated, plus 25g for the top; 150g fresh green pesto; 20 fresh lasagne sheets

A slice of layered green lasagne topped with cheese on a plate

2 tbsp olive oil
plus extra for the baking dish
3 leeks
washed and chopped (including green parts)
3 garlic cloves
crushed
25g basil
chopped
500g baby or young leaf spinach
chopped
2 x 250g tubs ricotta
250g tub mascarpone
50ml vegetable stock
or water
50g parmesan
grated, plus 25g for the top
150g fresh green pesto
20 fresh lasagne sheets

Method

step 1
Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the leeks until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Stir in the basil and spinach for 10 mins until wilted and any water has evaporated.
step 2
Beat together the ricotta, mascarpone, stock and 50g parmesan. Season well, then keep aside 8 tbsp for the top of the lasagne. Stir the rest into the leek and spinach mixture along with the pesto. Let the mixture cool, then tip into a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
step 3
To assemble, oil a deep 20cm x 30cm baking dish. Add a layer of lasagne sheets, trimming to fit, then spread over a fifth of the green sauce. Repeat four times with the lasagne sheets and green sauce.
step 4
Add a final layer of lasagne sheets, then spread over the reserved ricotta mixture (loosen with a little more stock if needed). Grate over another 25g of parmesan.
step 5
Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake the lasagne for 40 mins until golden and bubbling. Leave to rest for 10-15 mins before cutting into squares.