This lemony vegetarian lasagne with white sauce is ‘revelatory’

I was in my early 20s, had just moved to Italy and there I was, in a Tuscan villa, learning how to make an artichoke lasagne. It was an absolute revelation: delicate, yet rich and just so of-the-season. The artichokes were cooked in bianco (meaning no red sauce; just with some garlic, mint and a little wine.)

This fennel lasagne, spiked with lemon and plenty of cheese, is an ode to that life-enhancing artichoke lasagne. In a white lasagne such as this, blanching the lasagne sheets before assembly ensures they’re perfectly cooked.

Halve the fennel bulbs, then cut into 6-7mm slices. Place in a pan with the olive oil, eschalots, peel, bay leaves, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften and colour.

Pour in the vermouth or wine and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the fennel is very tender. If the fennel becomes dry as it cooks, add a bit of water to the pan. Remove the bay leaves and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and, when foaming, sprinkle in the flour. Whisk to form a roux and cook until it starts to colour (2 minutes).

Pour the cold milk into the roux slowly, whisking constantly, to avoid any lumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking consistently, for 3-4 minutes or until the besciamella has thickened.

Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg and season to taste. Remove from the heat.

Blanch the lasagne sheets, a few at a time, in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 30 seconds. Place them in a single layer on clean tea towels to prevent them from sticking.

Grease a 30cm square baking dish with butter and spread a thin layer of besciamella over the base. Add a layer of pasta, followed by a layer of the fennel mixture. Spoon over a third of the remaining besciamella, dot with mozzarella and top with a good scattering of the grated cheeses.

Continue until all the ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of pasta, some besciamella that has been thinned out with a little milk (if needed, to make it easier to cover the pasta), and a scattering of the grated cheeses.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling. Allow to stand for 10–15 minutes, then cut and serve.

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