Tex-a-Tuscan Lasagna

So the monster basil shrub was in full flower and we really needed to cut the sucker back by at least half. Trina and I pondered on what to do with the overflowing crop. Of course, pesto was at the top of the list but we wanted to try something new. We decided to try a version of the traditional Tuscan version of lasagna but with a Texas spin. The traditional version is basically layers of pesto, pasta and Bechamel (cream sauce). At first we thought we would add some crumbled sausage but then decided to use chicken instead. Sounds easy enough, right?

I made a beautifully silky batch of fresh pasta dough and hand rolled 5 large sheets the size of the pan. I hand picked the leaves of basil then we wash and dry them. Trina cubed up some chicken and cooked it with some dried Italian herbs. She also made a batch of cheese and spinach Bechamel. We ran out of grated parmesan cheese so we added some grated sharp white cheddar. We also added dollops of some left over Ricotta cheese to the layers.

Here is what we learned from our little experiment.

1 - Basil turns slightly bitter and grassy when allowed to flower. So, add the spinach and perhaps a bit of parsley to the Pesto to help mellow the intense flavor.
2 - Use less pesto per layer so that it doesn't over power the dish.
3 - Roll the pasta sheets larger than you think you need because the gluten in the dough will retract and shrink the sheets as they dry. Or use no-cook sheets if you don't like the texture of fresh pasta.
4 - Make extra bechamel sauce and make it a little bit looser than normal to help cook the pasta. Omit the spinach from the sauce.
5 - Shred the chicken to help create a more even layer of protein. Or use finely crumbled beef or sausage.
6 - Bake on 400 degrees covered for at least 30 minutes to ensure the fresh pasta is cooked. Then remove the foil and allow the top to bubble and turn golden brown. This should take an additional 20-30 minutes.
7 - Don't skip or substitute on the Parmesan cheese. If you want a gooey cheese layer, add some shredded mozzarella to the top.
8 - Toast the pine nuts before using to maximize their flavor.

We analyzed the data based on the response of the family. Matt didn't like it because he thought the basil was too strong and the noodles were not cooked enough for his taste. What I know from making fresh pasta too many times to count is that fresh pasta is always softer and you never really get that al dente texture. Our conclusions were to make a new version that looks more like the Italian flag (red, white and green).

Our plan of attack:

Layer one: No-cook lasagna noodles topped with a thin layer of classic Bolognese sauce (red meat sauce). Be sure to spread a thin layer of red sauce in the pan before you begin the layers.

Layer two: No-cook lasagna noodles topped with a thin layer of pesto. Pesto made from spinach, parsley, basil, toasted pine nut, olive oil, salt/pepper and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Layer three: An even layer of a thinner (or more liquid) standard Bechamel sauce. The reason I don't indicate a thin layer here is that you really want to see the three distinct colors and if you are not careful, the Bechamel will just mix in with the Pesto and turn green.

Repeat once or twice depending on the depth of your pan. Top with a generous layer of Parmesan and Mozzarella and bake on 400 covered with foil for 30 minutes then uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes. Crossing my fingers that it turns out better. I just hate disappointing Matt with a dinner he is not willing to eat at least two servings of. For the record, Trina and I really liked the dish but we could see lots of room for improvement. This is what recipe testing is all about.