Baked pasta roses: the recipe for lasagna rolls with melty cheese that don’t fall apart when sliced
LASAGNA Rolls Mozzarella and Tomato
There is something magical about bringing to the table a dish that smells like home but presents itself with the elegance of a restaurant course.
Pasta roses are a playful first course that are perfect as an alternative to classic layered lasagna, ideal for Sunday lunch or special occasions like Easter and Christmas.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility: I chose the timeless tomato and mozzarella combination, a classic that wins over young and old, but you can adapt it with ragù, ricotta and spinach, or ham.
A common problem when trying to make baked pasta roses (or lasagna rolls) is that, when cutting or arranging them in the pan, they tend to fall apart, losing that gooey filling we’ve lovingly prepared.
Often the sheet slides away or the sauce soaks the pasta too much, turning what should be a bouquet of roses into a shapeless mass of pasta.
In this version, we will solve the problem with a small secret of temperature and resting that will guarantee firm rolls that are easy to slice, ready to create that irresistible golden crust we all love.
Following my tips on handling the béchamel and briefly blanching the sheets, you’ll get rolls that are crispy on the surface and incredibly soft and succulent inside.
It’s a dish you eat first with your eyes, turning a simple Sunday into a real feast for the senses.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 204.07 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.22 (g) of which sugars 4.20 (g)
- Proteins 9.20 (g)
- Fat 6.49 (g) of which saturated 3.83 (g)of which unsaturated 2.20 (g)
- Fibers 1.09 (g)
- Sodium 907.60 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lb fresh egg lasagna sheets
- 1/2 cup béchamel sauce
- 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated)
- 9 oz mozzarella
- 2 cups tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 3 leaves basil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (type 00)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- to taste nutmeg
Tools
- Pasta machine
- Pot
- Skimmer
- Cutting board
- Bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Baking dish
How to prepare melty lasagna rolls
You can certainly buy ready-made béchamel if you don’t have the time or desire to make it yourself.
If instead you choose to make the béchamel at home follow the Easy BÉCHAMEL recipe and tips to fix the most common mistakes.
Put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the tomato purée, season with salt, cover and bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat.
Once it boils, lower the heat to the minimum and simmer the sauce for 5–10 minutes. At the end of cooking, flavor the sauce with torn fresh basil leaves.
Bring salted water to a boil with a tablespoon of oil (this helps prevent the sheets from sticking). Immerse the sheets a few at a time for a few seconds, just long enough to soften them. Drain and lay them on a clean towel, dabbing them gently.
Place a sheet on the cutting board, spread a thin layer of sauce, a bit of chopped mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Roll from the long side to form a tight cylinder. The secret: before cutting, put the rolls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or 10 minutes in the freezer). This will firm up the pasta and make a clean cut without flattening the rose shape.
Cut each roll into 3 or 4 equal pieces.
Butter a baking dish and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Place the roses side by side, facing up.
Distribute the remaining sauce among the rolls, finish with dollops of béchamel and plenty of Parmesan. Bake at 356°F for 20–30 minutes.
TIPS
For perfect rolls and easier slicing, let the rolled logs rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or about 10 minutes in the freezer, then slice with a very sharp knife.
In the last 10 minutes of baking, turn on the broiler to achieve a delicious golden crust.
You can fill the lasagna rolls with ricotta and spinach or with whatever filling you prefer or have available.
STORAGE
Pasta roses keep in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them raw (if ingredients are fresh) or cooked, then reheat them directly in the oven.
Ingredients: Notes and Substitutions
Mozzarella: It is essential that it is well drained. If you use fiordilatte, cut it into cubes and let it drain in a colander for at least an hour to avoid releasing water during cooking.
Sheets: If you use thin sheets that do not require pre-cooking, make sure the sauce is slightly more fluid to allow the pasta to cook properly.
Variations: You can substitute mozzarella with smoked scamorza for a stronger flavor, or add cooked ham between the layers.
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Can I prepare the pasta roses the day before?
Absolutely yes. You can assemble the pan, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. Bake shortly before lunch, increasing the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
Why do the roses turn out too dry?
Probably the béchamel or the sauce were too thick. Make sure the sauce is ‘slow’ (not too thick) and don’t completely cover the roses with the topping; rather, work the sauce into the gaps.
How do I get the perfect crust?
In the last 10 minutes of baking, move the pan to the top shelf of the oven and turn on the broiler function.
