Spinach and Caramelized Onion Lasagna

Recipe From What's For Lunch, Honey?

Ingredients

500g fresh lasagna sheets (you can use dried ones if you do not have fresh pasta)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

a few drizzles of olive oil

1.5 kg, fresh spinach, leaves coarsely chopped and lightly blanched

250g ricotta cheese

800g, red onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

700 ml milk

35g all purpose flour

125g + more Parmesan, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for approx. 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the blanched spinach and cook, stirring often, until tender – approx. 5 minutes.

2. Transfer spinach to a bowl and stir in the ricotta cheese. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

3. Wipe out the skillet clean and heat another drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring often, until the onions become lightly golden and are soft – approx. 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and continue to cook for another 20 minutes until they are caramelized and amber in color. Splash with the balsamic vinegar, stir and then remove from heat.

4. Heat about 3/4 of the milk in a medium saucepan until steaming. In the meantime stir in the flour with the remaining milk in a small bowl and whisk smooth. Whisk the flour mixture into the hot milk. Whisk continuously until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken. Keep whisking to cook the flour approx. 1 minute. Add 125g Parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season to taste.

5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Lightly oil a 33 x 23 cm rectangular baking dish.

6. Begin assembling the lasagna by first coating the base of the baking dish with a ladle full of cheese sauce, then line the bottom with a single layer of lasagna sheets. Spread half the spinach over the pasta. Add another layer of pasta sheets, then arrange the caramelized onions on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread another layer of cheese sauce over the onion layer and top with with pasta sheets. Spread the remaining spinach and finish off with a final layer of pasta and sauce. Sprinkle some more grated Parmesan over the top.

7. Brush a sheet of aluminum foil with some oil and tightly cover the baking dish. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes (or more depending on your oven). The top should be lightly browned and bubbling.

8. Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before tucking in.

The Food Guide tip:

Selecting, storing and the health benefits of Spinach.

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