White Lasagna


Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to the package directions

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2/3 cup celery, chopped

• 1/2 cup leeks (white part only), chopped

• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped

• 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cups warm chicken stock

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper plus 1/8 teaspoon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground savory

• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage

• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

• 3 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed

• 2 cups Ricotta cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

• 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese

• 8 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced

• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

• 1/3 cup bread crumbs



Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9×13 inch pan and set aside. In large heavy pot, melt 8 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, leeks and garlic. Stir and cook over medium heat until onion mixture softens.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add warm stock. Stir until stock is incorporated. The mixture will resemble stiff paste. Add cream and stir until sauce is well blended. Add salt, pepper, savory, sage and nutmeg. Stir. Cook sauce over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Add cooked chicken and stir to blend. Set sauce aside.
4. In medium bowl, add Ricotta, eggs and chives. Stir to blend. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Stir to mix. Set Ricotta mixture aside.
5. In small bowl, add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and pour over breadcrumbs. Stir with fork until breadcrumbs, cheese and butter are well-mixed. Set topping aside.
6. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 of chicken cream sauce mixture evenly over bottom of the prepared baking pan. Put 3 of lasagna noodles on top of chicken sauce. Cover noodles with Provolone cheese slices. Cover Provolone with 1/2 of the Ricotta mixture. Cover Ricotta with 1/3 of the chicken cream sauce. Add 3 more lasagna noodles. Cover noodles with slices of mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover cheese with remainder of Ricotta mixture. Sprinkle Ricotta with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Layer on last three lasagna noodles. Cover noodles with remainder of chicken cream sauce. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over top of lasagna.
8. Bake lasagna for 45 to 55 minutes until bubbly and crumbs are golden brown. Remove casserole from oven. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve.