Ham and Smoked Cheese Lasagna, a succulent and tantalizing main dish, perfect for Sunday lunch, but also for special occasions.
Lasagna is known to please everyone and is easy to prepare. You can get creative with the fillings. We like them in all ways: red, white, with mushrooms, with fish, and even with vegetables.
Great ones are with turnip tops or broccoli. When I want to make my family happy, I prepare them quite often lately, also because they are quite quick to make and very nutritious, ideal even as a single meal.
Let’s see together how to prepare the Ham and Smoked Cheese Lasagna. Prepare the ingredients and let’s get started.
And if you try them, don’t forget to let me know in the comments on my Facebook page HERE. I’ll be waiting for you.
Gabriella
Other delicious main courses to try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 7 oz egg lasagna (quantity as desired, depending on the layers you decide to make)
- 7 oz cooked ham (sliced)
- 5 oz smoked scamorza cheese (or mild)
- 5 oz mozzarella (for pizza, less watery)
- 1.75 oz grated parmesan cheese (or grana padano or pecorino)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups milk
- 2.1 oz butter
- 1.4 oz flour
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
To make the Ham and Smoked Cheese Lasagna recipe, you need:
- 1 Pot
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Electric Grater
- 1 Lasagna Pan
Steps
HOW TO MAKE HAM AND SMOKED CHEESE LASAGNA
First, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 2.1 oz of butter over low heat; add the flour and stir vigorously with a whisk until it starts to bubble and turns a hazelnut color (the so-called roux).
Then, add the warm milk (you don’t need to boil it) and continue stirring until you achieve a thick but not overly thick consistency, then add the salt and pepper. Keep it at room temperature, covered directly with plastic wrap.
Tip: the béchamel should not be too thick or too liquid, as it will tend to dry in the oven.
At this point, let’s prepare the cheese so it’s ready. Grate the parmesan (or pecorino, for a stronger flavor) and set aside. Then, grate the smoked scamorza separately, for a stronger flavor or the mild one, and the mozzarella.
To speed up, I used an electric grater.
Boil the lasagna sheets, a few at a time, in salted boiling water; add 1 tablespoon of oil to prevent them from sticking. Drain them with a slotted spoon, quickly run them under cold water to remove excess starch, and lay them out to dry on a clean kitchen towel.
Preheat the oven to 356°F, in “fan” mode.
Butter a baking dish, spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom.
Tip: if the béchamel is too thick, heat it over low heat, adding a little milk.
Now, place a layer of lasagna over the béchamel, then another layer of béchamel, followed by cooked ham, and a generous handful of smoked scamorza (or mild, if you prefer), mozzarella, and grated parmesan.
Continue in the same order until you run out of ingredients, forming 3 – 4 layers as desired. Finish with a layer of béchamel, mozzarella pieces, and grated parmesan, and before baking, drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 – 30 minutes, let it rest in the oven for 4 – 5 minutes, and serve. Here are the Ham and Cheese Lasagna ready. Enjoy your meal!
Until the next recipe.
Storage
You can store Ham and Cheese Lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month. A very practical solution is to prepare the lasagna in disposable containers and then freeze them before cooking. This way, they will keep for up to 3 months. To cook them, just put them in the oven for 40 minutes without defrosting.
Tips and Suggestions
– Whether they are fresh or dry pasta sheets, I usually parboil them in boiling water with a tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking. After boiling, I recommend quickly running them under cold water. This way, some of the starch that makes them too sticky is removed. However, do not overdo it with cold water, because if the pasta is too cold, it will not heat well in the oven.
– Béchamel. When layering in the baking dish (lasagna pan), always pour a light layer of béchamel first. This prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom during baking.
– You can prepare the Ham Lasagna (or any lasagna in general, whatever the filling) well in advance, even the day before, so they will be even better. Store them in the refrigerator covered with a sheet of plastic wrap, and when you want to cook them, just leave them at room temperature for about half an hour and then bake.
– To get an irresistible crust, before baking, you can sprinkle them with a mix of breadcrumbs and parmesan or finely crushed pistachio or hazelnut grains.
– To get an irresistible crust, before baking, you can sprinkle them with a mix of breadcrumbs and parmesan or finely crushed pistachio or hazelnut grains.
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