Open lasagne of Parmesan, Prawns and Baby Squid with Lemon and Basil Pesto Dressing

Open seafood lasagne

Open seafood lasagneBeat those winter blues with this mouth-watering Open Lasagne of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, Prawns and Baby Squid – a great twist on the classic lasagne recipe!

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, known as ‘Parmesan’, is one of the world’s oldest and richest cheeses – still produced today as it was nine centuries ago. Totally natural – it’s the only cheese that has such an extensive maturation which improves the nutrition, aroma and taste.  As well as having fantastic nutritional qualities, it’s easy to digest and is high in calcium.

Buon Appetito!

Serves 2

100g raw tiger prawns
150g calamari rings and tentacles
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
4 x 10cm2 sheets fresh lasagne
½ fennel bulb, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper

White sauce
50g butter
1 tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
1 tbsp crème fraiche
50g Parmigano Reggiano cheese, grated
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Walnut and basil pesto dressing
2 tbsp roughly chopped basil
45g chopped walnuts
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
4tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
25g grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Marinate the seafood in the zest and juice of ½ lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and black pepper. Meanwhile, blend together all the ingredients for the pesto and season well to taste

2. For the sauce, melt the butter over a gentle heat and whisk in the flour. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens. Whisk in the crème fraiche, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and lemon zest. Season to taste

3. Cook the lasagne sheets in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes and then keep warm

4. Place the seafood and fennel on a hot griddle for 2 minutes, or until cooked

5. To assemble, spoon a little white sauce onto the centre of each plate and top with a sheet of lasagne.

6. Add more white sauce and top with seafood and fennel, followed by some walnut pesto

7. Finally, top with another sheet of lasagne and drizzle over more pesto, a small amount of olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese before serving

[CREDIT: The Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano; Photography and Reportage: Steve Lee; Recipe and Food Styling: Jocelyn Barker]

  • Belinda Wanis, aka Miss B, is a Belle About Town who likes to bring a little bit of style into every aspect of her life. An experienced journalist with over 20 years in the industry she turned to the web, creating Belle About Town in early 2010, to fill a gap for tech-savvy stylish women who want the best life has to offer at their fingertips. She loves a decadent cocktail bar, a beautifully cut dress, cultural getaways, quality over quantity and is partial to Asian-fusion food. A globetrotter, who has lived in Australia, the UK and Denmark, she enjoys holidaying in the sun and you can often find her on a beach in Thailand or on shopping breaks in Sydney or New York. But her first love is, of course, London!

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