Pasticcio Agli Asparagi (Asparagus Lasagna)

In Prossenicco I had an amazing asparagus lasagna and thought this is something I have to put my spin on. So here is a delicious asparagus lasagna that you can omit the meat to make it vegetarian. I used white asparagus as they are grown locally, however they do take a lot longer to cook then our green asparagus at home.

I used bought pasta sheets and I’ve provided a video on how to blanch (cook) the sheets before using them. As well, this requires béchamel sauce for in between the layers and you can make your own or try my kicked up version. I made two batches for this lasagna, therefore you can double the recipe at the get go.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

½ cup finely chopped shallots

½ cup finely chopped hot pepper

300 grams ground pork (any meat you like)

Garlic salt to taste or salt and pepper

1 jar (250ml) passata sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 bunch asparagus

1 tbsp olive oil

½ cup vegetable broth (or more for asparagus to soften)

Pot of boiling water with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil

Fresh pasta sheets for lasagna

2 x Béchamel Sauce (my recipe)

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in skillet on high and add shallots and pepper. Sauté until shallots are translucent

2. Add ground meat and seasoning and cook until meat is brown

3. Pour in sauce and tomato paste and let cook for 10 minutes on low – set aside

4. Clean asparagus and chop into ½ inch pieces

5. In another skillet heat olive oil and add asparagus

6. Sauté for two minutes and pour in broth

7. Cook until liquid has been absorbed and asparagus are soft, if you use white asparagus you may need more broth to ensure they are soft enough – set aside

8. Now you are ready to blanch the pasta – video is provided below

9. Add a few sheets of pasta into boiling water and cook for a few moments

10. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water and then drain and dry the sheets of pasta on a dry cloth or with paper towel, place paper or cloth in between each sheet of pasta so it doesn’t stick

11. Preheat oven to 400 F

12. In a baking dish pour the tomato meat sauce mixture on the bottom

13. Place a layer of pasta on top of meat sauce

14. Sprinkle some asparagus on top of the pasta and then a layer of béchamel sauce

15. Add another layer of pasta, asparagus and béchamel until everything is used up

16. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese

17. Cook for 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil then remove foil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes

18. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before serving

I served with an Insalata Mista without cheese

Video on how to blanch the fresh pasta sheets

Layers of goodness

Ingredients for Ragu Sauce

Sauté shallots & peppers

Add meat and spices

Add sauce to browned meat

Let sauce simmer

Asparagus & béchamel ingrd's

Asparagus & béchamel ingrts

Add sauce to bottom of pan

Add broth to pan and let cook

Set aside ready asparagus

Dry each sheet of pasta

Melt butter and seasoning

Stir in flour to make a paste

Stir in milk slowly

Add cheese and keep stiring

Place pasta sheet on meat

Pasta, asparagus & béchamel

Mozzarella topping

Ready, now let sit five minute

Lasagna, salad, veal marsala

Pasticcio al Asparagi