John Pleshette's Spinach and Burratta Lasagna

Spinach & Buratta Lasagna

Serves 4

1 lb of dried lasagna

2 medium leeks

2 bunches of spinach

1 lb of burratta

1/2 cup of fresh-grated parmesan cheese

chives

Pre-heat oven to 400

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add a splash of oil.  Drop in the lasagna and boil 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sheets from sticking to each other.  When lasagna is still a bit underdone, drain and lay on a tea towel to dry.

Trim root ends and dark green leaves from leeks.  Split lengthwise and rinse under running water.  Chop into one-inch pieces.

Dump the spinach in a sinkful of water.  Trim off stems and drain leaves in a colander. 

Melt 4 Tbsps of butter in a large saucepan.  Add leeks and cook over low heat for a few minutes until softened but not browned.

Raise heat.  Add the spinach a handful at a time, turning with tongs.  Cook until wilted but still green.  Salt and pepper.  Remove with tongs and drain in a strainer and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid.

Rub the inside of an au gratin dish with butter.  Put a layer of spinach on the bottom.  Slice burratta and using your fingers, top the spinach with thumbnail-size pieces.  Lay a sheet of lasagna on top.  Sprinkle with parmesan. 

Continue to stack the spinach, burratta, lasagna and parmesan until you end up with about four layers.  You may need to make two stacks, side by side.  Top final layer with lasagna.  Dot with burratta, sprinkle with parmesan and place in the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and the lasagna is slightly browned. 

Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

lasagna might bring to mind red, but the absence of a red sauce here takes this in a different direction. The richness of the dish calls for acidity, and the spinach/leek combo favors a white with a mineral personality. I’ve recommended in the past the dry Chenin Blancs of an excellent Loire Valley co-op, Cave des Vignerons de Saumur, and the wines should be splendid here. They are bone dry with excellent minerality.  They produce enough wine that you should be able to find examples in your local fine wine shop, so look for any of their stunning ‘07s. Two single site wines of note are the “Les Pouches” and “Lieu-dits Les Epinats” but they also offer several other wines including a commune-level bottling simply labeled “Chenin Blanc Saumur”. The wines have a slight hint of onion skin on the palate that seems just right for the leeks.  Nothing in the range tops $12, making me inclined to not clutter this match with other options. If you haven’t tried these wines, let this dish open the door.