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When crafting a guide to Italian noodles, a friend originally from Naples recommended approaching lasagne like a urban planning. This approach is to initially establish the size of your baking dish relative to the lasagne noodles, then decide on the layer count to adequately balance the ingredients. We also concluded that assembling a lasagne should combine the careful technique of a stonemason with the expressive technique of an abstract painter when adding the sauces.

Preparing the Pasta Sheets

My personal lasagne dish is sized 30cm by 20cm, and a set of three 10cm x 25cm dried lasagne sheets form a single layer. To prepare a multi-tiered lasagne, you’ll need around fifteen pieces. Many contemporary dried lasagne eliminates the need for soaking in advance, but these layers require a fairly wet sauce to cook properly. Because the following dish uses a thick and rich sauce, it’s best to submerge for a moment the sheets in hot water for a short while, then place them into ice water and lay them out on a kitchen towel to dry slightly. This step reduces the total baking time, which maintains the tender quality of the summer squash and fresh cheese layer.

Cheese Choices and Substitutions

Aware of the expense of cheese—plus what is sitting in your cooler—this recipe offers a range of quantities for the fresh cheese, aged cheese and either melting cheese. It’s possible to substitute other cheeses depending on what you have available, and balance with bold flavors and herbs. What truly enhances the savor, however, is beginning by cooking the chopped squash in extra virgin oil with a a bit of salt. This is not to make them mushy—since they’ll continue melting in the heat, merging with the cheese and bechamel which also acts as a holding layer for the lasagne.

The Waiting Game

In my experience, lasagne is always improved if you let it rest for a minimum of 20 minutes before cutting into—and up to an hour in a warm place. This waiting period lets the tastes to develop and the whole lasagne—notably the melted cheese—to become sliceable. That way, it slices cleanly into squares. Naturally, the remaining piece enjoyed the day after is usually the most delicious bit.

Zucchini and Triple-Cheese Lasagna

Serves four to six

Around 15 lasagna noodles, or enough for five tiers

Three tablespoons good-quality oil, and more for preparing the dish

Several zucchinis, chopped in bite-size chunks

Sea salt and pepper

14 ounces soft white cheese

A generous tablespoon freshly minced herbs

80g unsalted butter, plus extra for dotting

Roughly half a cup white flour

Around 4 cups full-fat milk

Fresh nutmeg

60-80g aged hard cheese, finely grated

100-200g taleggio or asiago, cubed chunks

Two tablespoons toasted crumbs

Directions

Handle the pasta layers as per the package directions; if blanching them, place them on tea towels until needed.

Pour the oil in a skillet over medium flame, then fry the cubed courgettes with a sprinkle of salt, moving them around until they just begin to soften. Keep in mind they will continue to soften in the oven, so remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in the ricotta, herbs and another pinch of salt.

Warm the butter in a pan, then incorporate the white flour and combine to make a smooth mixture. Bit by bit add in the milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the white sauce thickens. Flavor with seasonings, nutmeg and a bit of the hard cheese.

Smear the bottom of an oven dish with olive oil, add a spoonful of the white sauce, then arrange a base layer of lasagna layers. Spread another level using some of the sauce, topped with a section of the squash mixture, some of the diced taleggio and a dusting of parmesan. Add with another noodle tier, then continue layering until used up, ending with a top tier of lasagne. Spread that with the remaining bechamel, the breadcrumbs and small butter pieces, then bake at 200°C (180°C fan)/gas 6 for about half an hour, or until the edges are bubbling and the surface is beautifully baked.