It's Finally Friday...What's for dinner?

And I think we have a winner! The recipe below comes from The Italian Dish, where they have lots of other yummy ideas as well from appetizers to desserts. I love food blogs :) 

I'm Irish and Lebanese, but I'm I think sometimes I can be an Italian at heart. I love me some pasta, but I'm not always a huge red sauce fan... and I'll probably lose some followers today if any Italians are reading this. So finding recipes that involve a light cream sauce or a pesto is Magnifico!

I made some slight adjustments to the recipe below because truthfully, you can buy the pesto at the store, but if you're really in the mood to go all out, the recipe for fresh pesto is also there...

Caio Bella...

Pesto Lasagna

Makes an 8x8 pan

4-8 servings
 

pasta:

 * 10 - 20 no-cook lasagna noodles or fresh pasta sheets, cooked or regular lasagna noodles, cooked

pesto:
3 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil

bechamel:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (whole or lowfat)
1 chicken bouillon cube (half, if using Knorr)
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano

ake the pesto:

Place the chunks of Parmigiano cheese into the food processor and process until finely ground.  Add the basil, garlic and pine nuts to food processor.  Process, using pulses, till finely chopped.  With machine running, add the olive oil until pesto is smooth.

or...buy it at the store *wink* 

Make the bechamel:

In a heavy medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and stir for a couple of minutes, until the flour is cooked.  Add the bouillon cube and allow to dissolve.  Whisk. Add about a third of the milk, slowly, and whisk over medium heat.  Add the nutmeg and pepper.  When the sauce is smooth, add another third of the milk and whisk.  When the sauce is smooth again, add the rest of the milk and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a heat proof bowl or Pyrex cup and let cool slightly

Assemble lasagna:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an 8x8 pan, place about 1/3 cup of the bechamel to coat the bottom of the pan. Lay first layer of lasagna noodles.  Add some pesto and spread into the bechamel.  Add a handful of the grated Parmesan. Continue to layer the noodles, bechamel, pesto and Parmesan until the last layer of noodles.  On top of this, just spread the bechamel only, add the rest of the Parmesan and top with the mozzarella.  Sprinkle the oregano on top.  Wrap tightly with foil (preferably Reynolds No-Stick foil).

Bake for one hour (if using regular, cooked noodles). Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until top is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before slicing.