Cheesy White Lasagna

I made this lasagna for a client that can’t eat tomato sauce or any meat.  It was made with layers of Béchamel sauce, Ricotta, Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheeses & ground Turkey.  My client loved the way it came out.  The contrast of textures from the firm layers of Lasagna noodles & the creaminess of the white melted cheeses made it almost taste like dessert.  But yet it was not too rich.  The delicious layers of pasta & filing could also make this a family favorite.  Also, if you don’t want to eat it right away it freezes well.  You can cut individual squares & put them in Ziploc Freezer bags up to at least a month.  Often, I will also make this for a client and just freeze it in the baking dish uncooked and they will then cook it for 30 minutes when they are ready to after a long day from  work.

Ingredients:

Béchamel Sauce

7 Tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of flour

4 cups of whole milk

Lasagna filing:

1 LB of Ground Turkey

1 carrot

1 celery

1 onion

1 Tabs of  finely chopped garlic

2 Tabs of finely chopped parsley

1 cup of milk

1/4 cup of wine

1  1/2  lbs of Ricotta

3 eggs

3 cups of shredded Mozzarella

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 lb pre-cooked Lasagna

Directions:

Pre-heat oven 375 degrees

Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of flour and cook the flour until it turns a soft yellow which means the flour taste has been  cooked out but don’t let it turn brown.  Do this over a low flame.

Whisk 3 1/2 cups of heated milk until a silky consistency, if too thick add more milk

Grind a pinch of nutmeg ( or can buy already ground)

Set the Béchamel aside.

Ground Turkey:

Sauté your ground turkey and break it up with a fork when it turns brown add 1 cup of milk until it evaporates, then add 1/4 cup of white wine until it evaporates then pour in sieve and let the juices strain in a bowl…set aside. Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté with about 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and alittle butter.  When cool combine with the ground turkey in a bowl. Your turkey filing is now ready.

Ricotta:

Mix together 1 1/2 Lbs of Ricotta & 3 eggs

Assembling the Lasagna:

Into the bottom of a 13” x 9” pyrex baking dish or close enough! Spread 1/3 of Béchamel, arrange the pre-cooked Lasagna sheets side by side covering the bottom of the baking dish,. Then evenly spread the Ricotta cheese,  & the turkey mixture, and then grind a blanket of parmesan cheese. Arrange a second layer of pasta sheets and spread the Ricotta cheese, the turkey mixture, and shredded Mozzarella & 1/3 of the Béchamel.  Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets & top with remaining Béchamel, Mozzarella, & grated Parmesan.

This all seems like it might be involved but it barely takes 30 minutes to put this Lasagna together.

Baking:  350 degrees 30 minutes.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and place lasagna dish on top, cover the lasagna with foil & put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top bubbling about 20-30 minutes, remove cover and bake about 10-15 minutes.

With your oven mittens take out and cool on a rack or heat proof area in the kitchen.  Please note I like to serve this about 30 minutes after it is cooked so everything sets and it is even more delicious the next day!

This is again one of my dishes under comfort food for the winter…….and I realize this is not for those of you on any special diet but can be made for a small informal  party or the kids or just to have ready after a long day!  Once a year, it’s a must!!!