WHITE LASAGNA WITH COOKED HAM
Who said that to make a good lasagna you must use ragù?
If you have never tried it, you must try white lasagna with cooked ham.
It’s a milder, quicker variation of the classic Bolognese recipe.
They are really made in a few simple steps and with simple ingredients.
You will only need lasagna sheets – I used the fresh ones from the supermarket refrigerated counter that don’t even need to be briefly boiled – cooked ham and béchamel.
Ideal as a festive dish or Sunday lunch, with the added advantage of being able to prepare it the day before.
To give it an extra touch, a “hidden” ingredient: small cubes of mozzarella that will make every bite stringier.
Follow the recipe and you’ll see how in a few minutes you’ll prepare a rich and tasty dish that everyone at the table will love.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 7 oz Fresh egg lasagna sheets
- 5 oz Mozzarella
- 7 oz Cooked ham (sliced or diced)
- 3 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated)
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp Whole milk
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cups All-purpose flour (00 flour)
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 3 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 1 pinch Salt
- to taste Black pepper
Preparation — White Lasagna with Cooked Ham
For the white lasagna I recommend starting with the béchamel sauce.
In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat, taking care not to let it fry.
As soon as it has completely melted and become liquid, add the flour (previously sifted) all at once, stirring immediately with a wooden spoon.
You will see that after 2–3 minutes a kind of batter, hazelnut-colored, called a “roux” will form; continue stirring it for about 1 minute until it takes on a slightly golden color and begins to sizzle.
Lower the heat and pour the warm milk into the roux in a thin stream, not too quickly, while stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon and paying attention to reach the edges of the saucepan.
The béchamel will be ready as soon as it starts to boil; it will take about 5 minutes, until you obtain a consistency similar to pastry cream.
Remove from the heat and season with a pinch of salt and a grating of nutmeg.You are now ready to assemble your lasagna.
Spread one tablespoon of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish and lay a first layer of egg pasta on top (you do not need to pre-cook it).
Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of béchamel on top and spread it evenly with a spoon over the entire surface.
Then place the slices or cubes of cooked ham and add mozzarella cut into small cubes.
Cover with more pasta sheets and continue until the ingredients are used up. Make as many layers as you like.
Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated cheese which will make the surface crispy.Bake for 30 minutes at 356°F. Then place under the oven broiler for 2 minutes. You will see a nice golden crust form. Before serving, let them rest outside the oven for at least 10 minutes so they settle and hold together better.
STORAGE
Once ready, they keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing them once cooked.
On the other hand, it is possible to freeze them raw, which is very useful if you need to prepare dinner for many people. Obviously, before cooking they should be brought back to room temperature.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS
For this recipe I used fresh egg pasta sheets that do not require pre-cooking.
Alternatively, you can also use dry lasagna sheets, which should be cooked a few minutes in boiling water before being used and the result will still be excellent.
