Who could resist such a gorgeous display of Swiss rainbow chard? Not me! It was in my grocery basket before I had time to think about how to use it.
But wait…I’ve got the Paprika app on my phone! So pull up the recipe portion and enter Swiss chard. There it is—White Lasagne with Swiss Chard, Leeks and Gruyere. Ok… Leeks…Parmesan cheese…fresh mozzarella…lasagne noodles. Got it. We’re on our way.
The original recipe called for no-bake lasagne noodles, but I haven’t had a good experience with those. They tend to suck all the juice out of the sauce and leave you with a dry, unappealing dish. Not the way to treat a silky bechamel sauce,
Swiss chard can be a little tough, so I sautéed it gently with the leeks and added a bunch of baby spinach to round out the flavours.
A massive hit with the family—the creamy, cheesy sauce surrounds layers of tender lasagne noodles layered with pleasantly bitter green vegetables. Perfect for chilly fall and winter evenings.
White Lasagne with Swiss Chard, Spinach and Gruyere
- Yield: Serves 8. 1x
Ingredients
For the béchamel
- 85 g or 3 oz butter
- 60 g or ½ c unbleached all-purpose flour flour
- 1.2 l or 5 c milk, heated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200 g or 2 c shredded Gruyère cheese
- 50 g or ½ c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
For the vegetables and assembly
- 30 ml or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g or 2 c chopped leeks, white and green parts only (from two large), washed and finely chopped
- 6 g or 2 tsp minced garlic
- 6 c Swiss chard leaves, torn (from 1 large bunch, inner ribs discarded)
- 10 oz of 6 c fresh baby spinach
- 900 g or 2 lb fresh lasagne (454g or 16 oz dried); cooked until al dente
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 170 g or 6 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded
- 5 g or ¼ c fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and chopped
- 50 g or ½ c shredded Gruyère
- 25 g or ¼ c shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
Prepare the béchamel
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until bubbling; add the flour and whisk briskly.
- Gradually pour the warmed milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and thickened considerably.
- Remove from the heat and add seasonings. Whisk in the cheeses until fully melted. Set aside.
Prepare the vegetables
- In a large skillet or 6-quart braising pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Sauté the leeks until slightly caramelized (5-7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Add Swiss chard and spinach; sauté until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Assemble the lasagne
- Preheat oven to 375° F and butter a 9 x 13” baking dish or equivalent.
- Spread a little béchamel on the bottom of your dish. Add a pasta layer, some of the wilted vegetables, fresh mozzarella and basil. Cover with a layer of béchamel and repeat the layers until you have used up all of the pasta, vegetables, and sauce. Try to end with a layer of pasta, followed by a thin coating of béchamel.
- Sprinkle the shredded Gruyère and Parmesan on top
- Bake until the edges are golden brown (35–45 minutes). Let the lasagne rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Adapted from Sarah Schuster, Food 52, White Lasagne with Swiss Chard, Leeks and Gruyere.
