I’m rediscovering some old favorite recipes that happen to be quick and amazing. I think you will fall in love with this Ham and Ricotta Lasagne with Pesto.
When you hear the word lasagne its easy to immediately think of red sauce and cheese.
But not today friends…
The birth place of lasagne is in Bologna, Italy. It’s easily one of my favorite places to visit. We spent time there a few summers ago and embarked on a food journey that included day trips to Parma where you will find Parmigiano Cheese and Parma Ham (Prosciutto di Parma).
Along the way we discovered a series of old castles between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains. Can you imagine getting lost in a place like this. Pure Joy!
The great thing about getting to know a dish in its native land is you get to see the many faces it has. Lasagne is not just red and white. You learn there are different degrees of lasagne. The quick and easy, the slow and intentional, as well as the seasonal.
This Ham and Ricotta Lasagne with Pesto is perfect for a quick meal. It feels cozy and intentional which also makes it great for gatherings.
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Ricotta and Ham Lasagna with Pesto
- Category: Italian Inspired
Ingredients
- 1 tub of Ricotta about 8oz
- 5 tbsp Mascarpone (you mix this into the ricotta to smooth it out)
- Fresh Pasta Sheets (if you can’t find fresh use the box, I like the flat smooth ones)
- 4 tbsp of Pesto
- 1 round Ham Steak cut into pieces (or you can use whatever ham you like)
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Mix the ricotta and mascarpone, season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Cook the pasta sheets in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or 4 to 5 if you are using boxed lasagne sheets to parboil them.
Assemble
- Smear about Tablespoon of the ricotta mixture onto the bottom of your baking dish
- Next add a layer of your parboiled pasta sheet, then smear on another layer of the ricotta, smear on a spoon of the pesto, then evenly distribute pieces of ham and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Add another layer of pasta sheets and continue with the ricotta, pesto, ham, and parmesan.
- End with a layer of the pasta sheets, smear of ricotta and sprinkle of parmesan.
- Bake until it looks appetizing and bubbly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
4 Comments
jen
February 26, 2016 at 2:28 pmdo you ever use your homemade pasta sheets for this? excited to try it!
Carrie Pacini
March 6, 2016 at 9:52 amYes, and I love homemade best! I put this recipe together for the nights we need to pull it together quickly BUT if you have the time then homemade sheets are the way to go :)
Diane Kerr
March 9, 2019 at 3:49 pmThank you for this recipe, I am full 2nd generation Italian and allergic to TOMATO, I get breakouts and red bumps on my face and neck. First question I ask God is ‘why tomato and make me italian?’ I am constantly looking for interesting and flavorful ideas to make my favorite foods without tomato that I grew up eating. Definitely going to try this one. Love your web site!
Carrie Pacini
March 9, 2019 at 4:41 pmHi Diane, This one is a good one. Sometimes I prefer pesto based sauces since they have so much flavor. Enjoy!