Baked Pesto Lasagna

Ingredients

• 12 wide lasagna noodles (do not use instant)
• Salt
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed
• ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• Freshly ground white pepper to taste
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half or milk
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Butter as needed
• 8 ounces mozzarella, grated
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack, grated

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    655 calories; 45 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 94 milligrams cholesterol; 572 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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8 servings

Preparation

1. Boil the noodles in well salted water until al dente. Drain well, and lay all the strips out to dry on paper towels.
2. Wash basil leaves well in several changes of water. Blanch in boiling water just until limp. Using a slotted spoon, immediately plunge into ice water to cool. Drain again and squeeze dry. Place in blender with parsley, garlic and oil, and purée until smooth. Season with pepper to taste, and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Raise heat and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Stir in the Parmigiano. Let cool slightly, then stir in the pesto until completely blended.
4. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Liberally butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon a little of the pesto sauce over the bottom of the pan. Line with 3 strips of the noodles. With a rubber spatula, top each strip evenly with sauce. Sprinkle with about a quarter of the mozzarella and Monterey Jack. Repeat with three more layers, using all the noodles, and most of the sauce and cheese. Pour all the remaining sauce over, smoothing the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

1 hour 30 minutes