I remember the taste of that creamy zucchini and basil lasagna from when I was a child. Grandma created this dish from just a few eggs of pasta dough and zucchini from the garden, which she cooked slowly with lots of basil until they were almost mushy.
It is a summer and vegetarian version of lasagna. We often ate it cold, and I still do it today.
In the morning, before going to the beach, Grandma would leave the covered pan outside the refrigerator waiting for lunch. When I returned home, I was in a hurry to eat lunch.
And, for once, instead of lingering, I would run first to the garden shower to rinse the sand off my feet, then into the house to wash my hands, and finally to the table where my square of fragrant creamy zucchini lasagna was there waiting for me, compact even without béchamel or any cheese.
And even though I loved that dish, I had forgotten this recipe.
Looking for cooking inspiration
Usually, the creative process starts with the ingredients, perhaps a simple aromatic herb or what I find in the pantry or on market stalls in that season.
Sometimes, I cook by choosing something from my family repertoire.
Sometimes, I open one of my cookbooks. I like to try other people’s recipes.
Some day ago, I woke up thinking about basil, my fav among the aromatics, so I grabbed my cookbooks and family notebooks, looked for any recipe that included basil, and just went for it.
I’m pretty sure that thinking about basil brought back memories of the creamy zucchini lasagna that cheered my summers.
The gastronomic research work I do for blogs and newsletters is, more and more often, taking the form of the sudden gift I was telling you about. By the way, all that thinking about basil reminded me of summer green lasagna.
If it weren’t for you stopping by for a story and a recipe, sometimes just one of the two, but always thank you, how many gastronomic memories would I have lost forever?
And how many family memories? They are little lights that light up the present and, I hope, my future.
Creamy zucchini lasagna. Don’t forget the basil
I made a few changes to the original recipe.
For example, I used peas in the pasta dough which turns out the sfoglia lightly green. You can opt for yellow or spinach pasta sheets.
To the zucchini, I added the rich flavor of basil sauce.
I won’t go so far as to call it pesto, the Italian sauce that most homage to my favorite herb.
I made a thick, hearty sauce without garlic to maintain the freshness we expect from a summer lasagna, letting that spicy, sweetly pungent scent find its way to the heart of every palate.
My husband, a man of appetite and good heart, rarely indulges in exaggerated compliments. For this reason, it is a sign of quality that he says it is divine!
Buona cucina, Monica
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Another vegetarian lasagna recipe
Here is the link to the recipe for the vegetable lasagna I make with carasau bread and stracchino béchamel sauce. That recipe also works well with the summer pace when we want to spend less time at the stove and, at the same time, eat well. If you have invited friends or want to make a good impression on your family without going crazy, I recommend it.
Reading and cooking notes
- I’ve included the link to food blogger Emilie Raffa’s original recipe for making Ligurian-style pesto.
- I share an interesting article about the origins of the pesto recipe that I read on the Tasting Table magazine website.
Creamy zucchini and basil lasagna
Equipment
- baking pan 22x15cm
Ingredients
- 800 g of green light zucchini or another variety or another variety
- 100 g of olive oil
- 5 g of salt
- 200 ml of lukewarm water
- 30 g of washed and dried basil
- 200 g of boiled potato
- 150 g of grated Parmigiano
- 5 rectangles of pasta sheets Roll out or buy rectangles of pasta adapt to the size of your mold. Below, I shared the recipe for the pea pasta dough I used.
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini, remove the ends, and cut into thin rounds.
- Cook the zucchini in a large saucepan over a low flame with the water, 50 g olive oil and 3 g salt until soft and creamy.
- Meanwhile, blend basil, potato, 2 g salt, 50 g of Parmigiano and 50 g olive oil until smooth and fluid. Add some tablespoons of water and stir. The water makes the sauce more fluid.
- Pour the basil sauce over the zucchini, stir, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of olive oil or water.
- Turn it off and let it cool.
Assembling
- Turn on the oven to 190C degrees (374F).
- Grease the bottom of the baking dish with a bit of olive oil. Arrange the first rectangle of pasta on the bottom. Spread a few tablespoons of zucchini filling and sprinkle with plenty of Parmigiano (100 g is the amount I use for all 5 layers, about 20 g for each layer and something more for the last one).
- Each time you add a sfoglia rectangle, apply light pressure with your fingertips to distribute the filling from the previous layer.
- On the surface of the last layer of lasagna, spread plenty of Parmigiano. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Food tips
- I recommend cooking the creamy zucchini basil sauce the day before assembling the lasagna.
- You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheat by covering the pan with aluminum foil in a preheated oven.
Pasta sheet with peas
Ingredients
- 70 g boiled peas you can substitute with another egg
- 1 regular egg )about 60-70 g)
- 200 g of 00 flour
Instructions
- Blend egg and peas in a food processor.
- Place the flour on the cutting board and form a well in the center with your fingers. Ensure the well is large enough to take the required eggs.
- Pour egg and pea cream into the well. Then, using your fingertips or a fork, gradually incorporate the flour in a circular motion until large breadcrumbs form, being careful not to break the walls of the well and lose the eggs. In this case, use a spatula to stop the run.
- From that point, knead the dough on a clean surface until soft but firm, about 10 minutes.
- Cover with a bowl or wrap the dough in plastic film and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours. If storing overnight, refrigerate and bring back to room temperature before use.
- After resting, lightly flour the cutting board and dough to prevent sticking.
- Place the pasta dough in the middle of the cutting board, and put the rolling pin on the center of the pasta dough. Then begin to roll as you would a sheet of pasta, working from the center.
- Every 2-3 strokes of the rolling pin, rotate the sheet 90 degrees to give it an even shape. As the sheet becomes larger, don't fold it. Wrap it around the rolling pin to rotate it without breaking the sfoglia.
- Continue to roll from the center outwards, then back to the center. Hanging the sheet over the table's edge will help stretch the dough. Always turn the dough sheet around 90 degrees (do this by rolling the pasta sheet around your rolling pin and turning it) and continue to roll until you have reached the perfect smooth sfoglia sheet.
- Cut out at least 5 rectangles the size of your baking pan.
- Blanch the pasta rectangles in unsalted boiling water, remove them from the cooking water with a slotted spoon, and lay the pieces on a clean tea towel without overlapping them.
