Todays food memory- Pesto Lasagna, San Fruttuoso near Camogli , Liguria
The Abbey of San Fruttuoso, FAI
Staying home for summer vacation is a real vacation for me. Time at the computer and watching the Olympics in my pj’s. Eating watermelon, plums, cantalope and grapes.Gorging on fruit; the flavors of the seasons. Thinking of past vacations and memorable meals.
On a trip to Chiaveri a few years ago to see one of our friends, he took us over to a “secret” place to eat he had found at the bay of San Fruttuoso.
I adore Chiaveri and when there always go to Osteria Luchin. Here is one of his recipes using pesto with string beans and potatoes, a classic.
From there we headed over to Camogli where my husband’s grandmother was from.
For an excursion, our friend took us up a small hill overlooking the bay and the cove whereSan Fruttuoso is located to try somewhere new.
There were no menu’s, which I adore!They advised us their specialty was LASAGNA AL PESTO
How could we say no?
We waited, and waited and waited;and were brought a huge casserole of Lasagna made to order for us!
Heaven!
Summer is basil and with a bowl of pestoI recreated this for lunch today.
Ingredients
- Recipe for a 4 layer lasagna
- 9x13 pan
- You will need:
- about 1 cup of pesto
- 2 cups of bechamel, creamy but not too thick
- 1/2 box of dry lasagna noodles
- 2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 ounces of gorgonzola " dolce", the creamy one
Instructions
- The secret is layering the pasta with bechamel sauce, pesto and grated parmesan cheese for three layers.
- Start with bechamel on the bottom of the 9x13 pan.
- Place the pasta ( I use dry)then cover with bechamel, pesto, parmesan.
- Pasta, bechamel, pesto, parmesan
- Pasta, bechamel , pesto, parmesan
- Pasta, bechamel GORGONZOLA, broken up onto the bechamel, parmesan
- Pasta, bechamel, pesto parmesan and Pinenuts.
- You can keep going until you have 6 layers if you like!
- Bake at 350 until a knife slides into the lasagna without resistance,about 30 minutes.
You will thank me!
Since I had the oven on I whipped up a little focaccia with fresh cherry tomatoes,oregano, salt and olive oil.
I want to make the Pesto Lasagna for a meeting next month. Could I substitute another pasta for the lasagna (someone is making a traditional lasagna)? If so what would you recommend?
Also I have never made pesto before. Do you have a recipe or all them about the same (so I should just find one on line)?
Thanks so much for your help! I love your blog – can’t wait to return to Florence someday and sign up for one of your classes.
i’ll have to try the pesto lasagna. the kilos are piling on just from reading your blog!
Wow! The idea made me hungry! I love this one. I want to try making it.
Must try the lasagne and have been wanting to make the focaccia with cherry tomatoes for ages! Can hardly wait to make these using basil & cherry toms. from my backyard! Looks absolutely fabulous Judy!