PEA, FENNEL & SPINACH LASAGNE

SERVES 6 PREP + COOK TIME: 1 HOUR, 20 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & COOLING)

• 1 medium bulb fennel (300g), trimmed, fronds reserved

• ¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 shallots (50g), chopped finely

• 1 tsp ground fennel

• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

• 500g English spinach, trimmed

• 1½ cups (250g) shelled fresh peas (see tip on page 90)

• 1,2kg tinned diced tomatoes

• 1 cup roughly torn fresh basil leaves

• 250g wholemeal lasagne sheets

• ¼ cup (60g) soft ricotta

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, extra

• ¼ cup small basil leaves, extra

RICOTTA BÉCHAMEL

• 1¾ cups (420g) soft ricotta

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup (140g) Greek-style yoghurt

• ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

• 1 cup (200g) crumbled feta

• 1½ cup (125ml) sparkling mineral water

1. Chop the fennel; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fronds to serve.

2. Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the fennel, garlic, shallots and ground fennel, stirring, for 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; stir in the rind. Season to taste.

3. Wash the spinach leaves but don’t dry. Cook the spinach in the same pan over high heat, in two batches, until wilted; drain. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid. Coarsely chop the spinach; stir into the fennel mixture. Season, and refrigerate until cooled. Stir in the peas.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

5. Combine the tomatoes, basil and the remaining oil in a bowl, and season.

6. Make the ricotta béchamel

(see recipe below).

7. Spread one-third of the tomato mixture over the base of a 3-litre (12-cup) baking dish. Cover with one-third of the lasagne sheets. Top with half the spinach mixture and half the béchamel. Continue layering with the remaining pasta sheets, tomato mixture, spinach mixture and béchamel, finishing with the pasta sheets and tomato mixture. Top with spoonfuls of ricotta.

8. Bake the lasagne for 45 minutes or until the top is golden and the pasta is cooked (cover with greased foil, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning). Stand for 10 minutes before serving.

9. Serve the lasagne drizzled with extra oil; top with extra basil and the reserved fennel fronds.

RICOTTA BÉCHAMEL

1. Whisk the ricotta, eggs, yoghurt, juice and feta in a bowl until combined. Whisk the water into the mixture until combined.