Asparagus Burrata Bean Lasagna

Asparagus Burrata Bean Lasagna

Continuing with beans as the theme for this week’s recipes, here is a dish that I originally created for Bold Bean Co last year. This is a winning dinner and another to serve for guests. See it in action here!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

420g asparagus ends trimmed

16 sheets of dried lasagna pasta, soaked in water - or use GF pasta sheets

A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn (roughly 10g)

1 ball burrata

25g grated parmesan

2 tbsp olive oil

10g butter

For the bean béchamel:

40g unsalted butter, plus 20g extra for between the layers + on top

2 garlic cloves, diced

500g cooked cannellini beans

1 tsp grated nutmeg

100g grated parmesan

220g water

For the green sauce:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

5 garlic cloves, sliced

300ml veg stock

370g spinach

2 pinches chilli flakes, optional

juice 1/2 lemon

salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C degrees + grease a 31cm by 22cm baking.

Blanch asparagus in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 mins. Slice 2/3 of the asparagus + leave the rest whole. Soak lasagne sheets in cold water. For the green sauce, heat a large saucepan to a medium heat + add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion + fry for 5 mins to soften, followed by the garlic for 1 min. Then add the stock + bit by bit the spinach. Wilt it all down. Add to a blender with lemon juice, dried chilli + season with salt + pepper. Blend to a smooth consistency.

For the bean béchamel, melt the butter in the same saucepan + add garlic + cook for 1 min before adding in beans, nutmeg, cheese + water. Bring to a simmer for 1 min + break up most of the beans into the sauce. Check for seasoning.

Spoon a few ladles of the green sauce into the bottom of baking dish + make a single layer of lasagne sheets. Then, add 1/4 of green sauce, followed by a 1/3 of bean béchamel. Scatter over 1/3 of chopped asparagus, few torn basil leaves, some parmesan, 1/4 of the butter, salt + black pepper. Repeat this process until you have 4 layers of pasta. Bake in middle of oven for 35mins.

When serving top with sliced burrata, asparagus, cheese + olive oil.