Lasagnetta with asparagus, leeks & Provolone

Method

1. Slightly peel the asparagus along the stem using a potato peeler and, bending it between the fingers, break it off at the point where the stem is hardest (you will notice that it will break on its own).
2. Cut up the stems into small disks and leave the tops whole.
3. Meanwhile stew the finely sliced leek in a saucepan together with the butter, add a little water in order to keep the temperature low until you get a creamy mixture and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Parboil the asparagus disks for one minute, strain them and add them to the leek.
5. In the same water now parboil the asparagus tops.
6. In a buttered Pyrex baking tray, assemble your lasagne alternating the pasta sheets, the leek/asparagus/butter mixture, the grated Provolone, the asparagus tips and the béchamel sauce.
7. Top the lasagne with a generous sprinkling of grated Provolone and bake it in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes approx.
8. Rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

Chef's tip

The lasagne sheets do not need cooking before placing in the baking tray. However, this only works if the sauces are liquid enough to hydrate the pasta! If you want to play it safe, scald the pasta sheets in hot boiling water for a couple of minutes before assembling the lasagne.

Serving suggestion

Serve as a main course with some light dishes such as octopus carpaccio with asparagus or colourful leafy salads.

Wine selection

Sauvignon Friuli Aquileia DOC Superiore, Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT, Pinot Grigio Valdadige or Bardolino DOC.

Family tip

If the Provolone piccante is too savoury for you, replace it with the mild one!

Dish history

Lasagne is the name of one of the most ancient pasta varieties, usually rectangular- or band-shaped and thicker than tagliatelle. Already known at the time of the Greeks as 'lasana', it was called 'lasanum' in Rome and was already cooked in a similar way to today. Here we suggest a modern, vegetarian version of this typical Italian dish, ideal in spring, when asparagus are in season!