Zucchini and Leek Lasagna
This is a light entrée or side dish that is especially good during the holidays, when everyone is eating large, heavy meals. Gruyere, Asiago, and Emmental can all be used as substitutes for fontina.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8 to 12
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 baby or 5 large leeks, cleaned and chopped into 1-inch squares
- 4 large zucchini, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups Triple-Cream Cheese Sauce
- ¼ pound whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
- ¼ pound fontina, coarsely grated
- 1 pint fresh ricotta
- ¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Heat a large, heavy pot of boiling water and cook lasagna noodles for 8–11 minutes until just done. Rinse, drain, coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add chopped leeks, and sauté for about 20 minutes until leeks begin to turn soft. Add chopped zucchini and garlic and cook another 10 minutes. Leeks should be very soft and golden.
Prepare 3 cups of Triple-Cream Cheese Sauce, remove from heat, and add grated mozzarella and fontina.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Heat oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, in a 9” × 13” greased baking dish, layer noodles, leek-and-zucchini mixture, ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano mixture, and cheese sauce. Repeat, and then cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg, and bake for 15 minutes more, or until lasagna is browned and bubbly.
