Artichoke, Salami and Ricotta Lasagna

, from Issue #53. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Artichoke, Salami and Ricotta Lasagna

This lasagna is all about putting together good quality ingredients for a delicious dish that doesn’t require you spending half a day in the kitchen.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

100 grams fresh lasagna sheets
500 ml jar tomato pasta sauce
200 grams thinly sliced soft salami
200 grams ricotta cheese
2 balls fresh mozzarella in whey, drained (I used Clevedon Valley Buffalo)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
340 gram jar marinated artichokes, drained
20 large black olives
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

25 cm x 35 cm baking dish (or similar size)
 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Spread a third of the pasta sauce over the base of the baking dish. Top with a layer of pasta, cutting the sheets to fit in a single layer. Cover with half the salami then dollop over half the ricotta cheese and half the remaining pasta sauce.You should have a third of the sauce left.

Scatter over half each of the mozzarella and Parmesan and a grinding of pepper. 

Top with the remaining ingredients in the following order; pasta, salami, ricotta, pasta sauce, all of the artichokes and olives then the mozzarella and Parmesan. Finish with a grind of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the pasta is tender when pierced with a knife and the top is bubbling and golden. 

Cook’s tip: I like to cook the raw pasta sheets in a saucepan of boiling salted water for about 3 minutes before using to remove excess starch. Use tongs to lift them from the saucepan and place straight into the baking dish when layering so they still have some water clinging to them. 

Menu: Serve with a Shaved Raw Salad and TomatoBasil and Feta RollsRoast Pork with Mixed Capsicums and Borlotti Beans and Walnut and Chocolate Ganache Biscuits to finish.