Spinach, Ricotta and Speck Lasagna Rolls

The Italian smoked and cured pork known as speck forms part of the filling in these pasta rolls.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 70 min
Serves: 12 Save

Ingredients (20)

  • Red Bell Pepper-Tomato Sauce:
  • 4 red bell peppers, cut into halves, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 large onion, cut into eighths
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Filling:
  • 8 ounce fresh baby spinach
  • 2 pound whole-milk ricotta
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 4 ounce speck or prosciutto, very thinly sliced
  • To assemble:
  • 18 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions, drained and cooled
  • 1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. To prepare sauce, place red bell pepper halves on one half of a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Tuck onion pieces and garlic cloves underneath. Brush tops with olive oil. Pour remaining oil onto the other half of baking sheet. Pour plum tomatoes over oiled area. Sprinkle tomatoes and red bell peppers with salt and black pepper. Roast 25 minutes, until skins of peppers are blackened and blistered. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel off blistered skins and discard.
  4. Place roasted vegetables and juices into a bowl. Using an immersion blender, process ingredients into a brilliant red-orange sauce. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
  5. Coat 2 (9 x 13-inch) casserole dishes with olive oil.
  6. To prepare filling, place spinach in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped. Scrape into a mixing bowl and return the work bowl to the processor. Add ricotta, eggs, salt, black pepper and garlic to food processor bowl and process until well blended. Stir ricotta mixture into the spinach. Fold in Parmigiano Reggiano..
  7. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
  8. To assemble, lay lasagna noodles in rows on counter. Place a few tablespoons ricotta mixture on top of each and spread to cover noodles. Place slices of speck (or prosciutto) over ricotta.
  9. Cut lasagna ribbons in half crosswise. Roll up each piece. You will have 36 nice lasagna roulades. Cover bottom of casserole dishes with a layer of sauce. Arrange lasagna rolls in pans. Spoon sauce over the tops. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano.
  10. Bake uncovered 35 minutes.