Sea-flavoured mini lasagne

Ingredients

• 350 glasagne sheets
• 300 gclams
• 300 gmussels
• 200 gsmall squid
• 200 gbaby cuttlefish
• 1 small ladlefultomato pulp
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 2 tablespoonsfreshly chopped parsley
• 100 ml (½ glass)dry white wine
• to tasteextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• 40 gplain flour
• 40 gbutter
• 500 ml (½ litre)strained fish stock
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• to tastenutmeg
• 150 gbéchamel sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the shellfish

   Rinse the clams and mussels under running water, scrubbing them with a stiff brush. Put them in a saucepan with olive oil and one peeled garlic clove.

2. 2

   Open the shells

   Cover the pan and heat until the shells open. Turn off the heat and leave the shellfish to cool until you can remove the meat from the shells.

3. 3

   Prepare the seafood

   Put the shellfish meat in a small bowl. Strain the cooking liquid and set it aside. Clean and rinse the small squid and baby cuttlefish, then slice them into strips.

4. 4

   Cook the tomato sauce

   Fry the squid and cuttlefish together in a pan with hot olive oil and the remaining chopped garlic. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate, then add the tomato pulp, salt and pepper. Cook the sauce for 20 minutes, then add the shellfish.

5. 5

   Finish the sauce

   Cook the shellfish in the sauce for just a couple of minutes so they do not turn tough and rubbery. Once cooked, stir in the chopped parsley.

6. 6

   Make the fish sauce

   Prepare a smooth sauce using the flour, butter and strained fish stock.

7. 7

   Season and cook pasta

   Stir the sauce thoroughly and take it off the heat. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Boil the lasagne sheets a few at a time in plenty of salted water with a tablespoon of oil added.

8. 8

   Cool the sheets

   Drain the sheets while still firm to the bite, cool them under running water and lay them on a damp cloth without overlapping.

9. 9

   Layer the lasagne

   Butter an oven dish and cover the base with lasagne sheets. Add béchamel and spoon over some of the seafood sauce. Repeat in the same order for up to four layers, or until the pasta is used.

10. 10

    Bake until golden

    Finish with lasagne sheets, a few spoonfuls of plain béchamel prepared earlier or bought ready-made, and small knobs of butter and grated Parmesan. Gratinate in the oven for 20 minutes at 200°C.

What are seafood mini lasagne?

Lasagne is an Italian baked pasta dish built from layers, and this version brings together several kinds of shellfish and cephalopods. Its seafood sauce sits between pasta sheets with béchamel and a smooth sauce made with fish stock.

Seafood lasagne is a coastal take on the familiar layered bake. Here, the tomato adds a little sweetness and acidity, while the stock-based sauce gives the layers a savoury, silky finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 680 calories, 34g protein, 75g carbs, 26g fat.

The lasagne sheets provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter, béchamel and olive oil contribute much of the fat. Seafood and fish stock add protein, although the exact amounts vary with the shellfish yield and the amount of oil used. Balance the plate with a green salad or vegetables dressed lightly with lemon.

The seafood sauce

Shellfish: Clams and mussels are opened in a covered pan, then taken out of their shells; their cooking liquid is strained and set aside. Keep the liquid, as it carries flavour that can be used in other cooking.

Squid and cuttlefish: Slice both into strips and cook them with garlic before adding the wine and tomato. The shellfish go in only at the end, for a couple of minutes, to help them stay tender.

The two creamy layers

Fish sauce: The flour, butter and strained fish stock form the smooth sauce described as a vellutata. Stir it well and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg once it is off the heat.

Béchamel: This is layered with the seafood sauce rather than mixed into it. The separate layers give the finished dish a creamy texture without losing the distinct taste of the seafood.

Handle the pasta carefully

Boil the lasagne sheets a few at a time in plenty of salted water, with a tablespoon of oil added as directed. Drain them while they still have some bite, then cool them under running water.

Lay the sheets flat on a damp cloth, keeping them separate. This makes them easier to handle when assembling the dish and helps prevent them sticking together.

Build even layers

Start with pasta on the buttered base, then add béchamel and some of the seafood sauce. Repeat in that order, stopping at four layers or when the pasta runs out.

Finish with pasta, plain béchamel and the butter and grated Parmesan specified in the method. The ingredient list does not give quantities for the finishing butter or Parmesan, so use small amounts to cover the top.

Bake and serve

Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C, until the top is gratinated. The total preparation and cooking time is listed as 65 minutes, so have the seafood and sauces ready to assemble without a long pause.

Serve as a first course, with a crisp green salad or simply dressed vegetables alongside. The seafood and creamy sauces are already rich, so a fresh, lightly dressed accompaniment works well.

Recipe notes & tips

• Scrub the clams and mussels well under running water before cooking.
• Strain the shellfish cooking liquid carefully to remove any grit.
• Add the clams and mussels to the tomato sauce only for the final couple of minutes.
• Keep the pasta sheets in a single layer on a damp cloth after cooling.
• Use a few spoonfuls of seafood sauce between layers rather than flooding the dish.
• Check the top near the end of baking and remove the dish once it is gratinated.

Variations

• Add prawns: Fold them into the tomato sauce near the end so they cook briefly.
• Use fresh herbs: Add a little extra parsley just before layering for a brighter finish.
• Make it spicier: Add a pinch of chilli flakes to the garlic and oil.
• Swap the pasta: Use fresh lasagne sheets, following their packet instructions for boiling.
• Add lemon: Serve with lemon wedges for a fresh contrast to the creamy layers.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the shellfish rinse: Scrub the shells under running water to remove dirt before cooking.
• Overcooking the shellfish: Add them to the sauce only for the final couple of minutes.
• Crowding the pasta pot: Boil the sheets a few at a time so they are easier to separate.
• Stacking wet sheets: Lay them apart on a damp cloth to stop them sticking together.
• Making the layers too wet: Spoon the seafood sauce over the béchamel in controlled amounts.
• Baking by time alone: Check that the top is gratinated before taking the dish out.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a covered oven dish until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water or stock if the pasta seems dry.

Frequently asked questions