Pasta master

LASAGNE WITH SLOW COOKED FENNEL, SWEET LEEKS AND CHEESES

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 8-10)

4 large leeks, 3 bulbs of fennel, 6 cloves of garlic, 50g unsalted butter, ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g), 125ml soave white wine, 75g plain flour, 1.5L whole milk, 1 whole nutmeg, for grating, 50g pecorino or parmesan cheese, 100g Taleggio cheese, 400g dried lasagne sheets, 125g ball of mozzarella cheese, 100g Gorgonzola cheese, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper

METHOD:

1. Trim and slice the leeks and fennel, then peel and finely chop the garlic. Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, strip in most of the thyme leaves, then stir in the veg. Season, then fry for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

2. Pour in the wine, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring regularly and adding splashes of water, if needed.

3. Stir in the flour for a few minutes, then gradually add the milk, a splash at a time, stirring constantly. Simmer until it has thickened, stirring occasionally. Finely grate in half the nutmeg. Remove from the heat, finely grate in half the pecorino, tear in half the Taleggio, and stir well. Taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, if needed, and leave to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 1800C. To assemble, layer up the sauce and pasta sheets in a large baking dish, adding little blobs of mozzarella, Gorgonzola and the remaining Taleggio as you go, finishing with a final layer of sauce. Finely grate over the remaining pecorino and any other bits of cheese, then bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

5. Pick the remaining thyme leaves, toss in a little oil, and scatter over for the last five minutes. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, then dig in.