ZUCCHINI PESTO LASAGNA with PANE CARASAU, the recipe you don’t expect
I believe it’s impossible to resist a dish of Baked Lasagna, those creamy and inviting layers that win us over with every bite!
There are the classic Meat Sauce Lasagna, the ones from grandma that are part of many families’ traditions, but also many variations that step outside the usual box.
Today’s recipe is one of these because instead of the typical fresh pasta sheet I used Pane Carasau, a well-known Sardinian specialty, a sort of very thin and crispy unleavened bread that, once layered with the sauce of your choice and Béchamel, I assure you is a more than worthy substitute for egg pasta.
For me, it was a true discovery and revelation at a lunch I was invited to and as soon as I got home I decided to replicate it, I must say it was really worth it!
I decided to dress the Pane Carasau Lasagna with Zucchini Pesto and Bologna Mortadella, a first course that steps outside the usual box alternating the bread sheets with a delicate zucchini pesto, a creamy Parmesan sauce, and delicious, flavorful slices of Mortadella.
You will serve a rich and tasty first course, which is also well-suited to being served as a single dish, and you will discover how the classic pasta lasagna can be worthily replaced by slices of pane carasau.
If you love baked pasta and want to try other variations, also try
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 885.40 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 50.66 (g) of which sugars 5.71 (g)
- Proteins 31.70 (g)
- Fat 64.16 (g) of which saturated 18.84 (g)of which unsaturated 18.35 (g)
- Fibers 3.88 (g)
- Sodium 1,289.45 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 400 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
- 7 oz pane carasau
- 10.5 oz Bologna mortadella (thinly sliced)
- 7 oz smoked provolone (cubed)
- 3 1/4 cups béchamel
- 12.3 oz zucchini
- 0.7 oz grated parmesan
- 0.7 oz pecorino romano (grated)
- 7 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 1.4 oz pine nuts
- 0.7 oz basil
- to taste salt
Tools
- Blender
- Grater
- Baking Dish
Steps
Wash the zucchini and remove the ends. Using a grater, cut them into julienne strips (use the larger holes), add a pinch of salt and leave them for about 10 minutes on a plate to remove excess liquid. Then squeeze them well and put them in a blender along with the parmesan, pecorino, a few basil leaves, pine nuts, and oil. Blend until you obtain a creamy mixture similar to basil pesto.
You can prepare the Béchamel following my recipe HERE or a PARMESAN CREAM. You will need 16 oz of fresh liquid cream and 10.5 oz of grated Parmesan Reggiano. In a saucepan, heat the cream without bringing it to a boil. Add the grated Parmesan and stir until completely melted. Set aside
In a baking dish, distribute a bit of parmesan fondue on the bottom. Then create a layer with the pane carasau. Next, add more parmesan fondue, a layer of zucchini pesto, a layer of cubed scamorza cheese, and finally, slices of Mortadella. Repeat until you create 3 layers (carasau – cheese cream – zucchini pesto – mortadella). Place a final layer of pane carasau on top and cover only with Parmesan cream and zucchini pesto.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 320°F for about 30 minutes. They should lightly brown on the surface. Once ready, take them out and let them rest a few minutes before serving. You can decorate them with toasted pistachios or additional slices of Mortadella.
NOTES
PANE CARASAU: To make assembly in the baking dish easier, I bought semi-circular pane carasau, but if you can’t find it, you can easily substitute it with round or even better rectangular pane carasau. You shouldn’t soften it before creating the layers, otherwise, it might become too mushy.
PARMESAN CREAM: If you don’t feel like making it, you can substitute it with classic béchamel, but leave it a bit more liquid than usual to achieve the classic lasagna consistency.
MORTADELLA: This recipe is meant to be made with Bologna Mortadella, but cooked ham works just fine too.
STORAGE
The Pane Carasau Lasagna with Zucchini Pesto and Mortadella is meant to be consumed immediately. If there are leftovers, they can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one day and then heated in the oven for a few minutes before serving. You can also freeze them in an aluminum container. To defrost, just take them out the night before and leave them in the fridge until ready to reheat in the oven.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the difference between pane carasau and pane frattau?
Actually, Pane Frattau is a preparation that can be made using Pane Carasau. The two most well-known preparations are “pane guttiau”, made from pane carasau seasoned with oil and salt and toasted in the oven, and “pane frattau” made with pane carasau blanched in water and seasoned with tomato sauce and grated pecorino.
What does pane carasau taste like?
The color is golden, the taste is distinctive, and the aroma strongly recalls the scents of cereals, granary, and wood-fired ovens.
Why is pane carasau called sheet music paper?
Pane carasau is known in the rest of Italy as carta musica or sheet music paper because of the noise it makes when chewed.
How to store pane carasau once the package is opened?
Once the package is opened, wrap the product in a sealed bag, if you forget to do this, heat the bread in the oven for a couple of minutes and it will be even tastier and crispier.
