LASAGNE AL RADICCHIO crema di castagna e pancetta

INGREDIENTS

250 g lasagne sheets, preferably fresh egg lasagne

750 g chestnuts, pre-cooked

3 heads of red radicchio

5 shallots

1 dash of white wine

500 ml milk

300 g pancetta, cut into strips

50 g Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated

Olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg

METHOD

– Mash the chestnuts with a potato masher. – Halve the heads of radicchio, remove the stalk and chop into coarse strips. Finely chop the shallots and sauté in a little olive oil. Add the radicchio and sauté until soft. Deglaze with white wine, season with salt and pepper.

– Pour the milk into a saucepan, season with nutmeg and a little salt and bring to the boil. When it is simmering, add the mashed chestnuts, bring back to a simmer, stirring constantly until a smooth, creamy sauce forms. Then take off the heat. – Preheat the oven to 220 °C.

– Build the lasagne in an ovenproof dish: Start by spreading a layer of the milky chestnut purée, place a lasagne sheet on top, spread more chestnut purée on top, then add a layer of chopped radicchio, then some pancetta and grated cheese. Then carry on with further layers, finishing so the top layer is chestnut purée, radicchio, pancetta and cheese.

– Turn the heat down to 180 °C and bake in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes until the pancetta is crispy and the cheese has melted.

Who says you always have to have your lasagna with ragù sauce? Be creative. We layer pleasantly bitter radicchio leaves, chestnuts and bacon to create a deeply autumnal lasagne packed with rich and resonant flavours.