lasagna for GF pasta lovers

Sweet potato gratin lasagna made with Italpasta’s new gluten-free lasagna pasta and a creamy, dreamy béchamel sauce.

What do you want first? The good news or the great news?

Let’s start with the good news.

Our favourite gluten-free pasta brand, Italpasta, has added a new product to its gluten-free line: lasagna! Along with fusilli, penne, elbows and spaghetti, Italpasta now has five varieties of gluten-free pasta!

Made from a blend of rice, corn and quinoa, this certified gluten-free and non-GMO lasagna has the flavour and texture of traditional pasta (it’s kosher too!). You would never know the difference. Plus, it’s oven ready, so you don’t have to boil the noodles before cooking them! So far we’ve made two hearty lasagna dishes at home—one with a meat ragu and the other a vegetarian version—and they are now family favourites! As a busy working mom, I really appreciate cutting down on prep time—just layer the sauce, pasta and cheese and put it in the oven. (The trick is to use lots of sauce and make sure the noodles are covered well.) Then wait for the sensational smell to fill your kitchen as the lasagna bakes and bubbles away!

And now for the great news…drum roll, please…

We are so excited to welcome back Italpasta as platinum sponsor! This will be their sixth time as lead sponsor of Gluten Free Garage! On May 27th at Artscape Wychwood Barns, they’ll be sampling three different delicious pasta dishes—including a lasagna—and will have vegan and dairy-free options. At every GFG there is a lineup at their booth for most of the day, but this year we might need to bring in some crowd control!

Italpasta’s Chef Gianni Ceschia making pasta for the people at last year’s GFG.

Here’s a decadent lasagna dish to impress your family and friends.

GLUTEN-FREE SWEET POTATO GRATIN LASAGNE

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 pkg (250 g) Italpasta Gluten-Free Lasagne
2 medium sweet potatoes (8 oz/250 g), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each salt and pepper, divided
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter
16 sage leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) gluten-free rice flour
4 cups (1 L) 35% whipping cream
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp (1 mL) grated nutmeg
3 cups (750 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tbsp (45 mL) hazelnuts, toasted, crushed
1/3 cup (75 mL) crushed gluten-free amaretto cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss together sweet potato rounds, olive oil and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet; bake for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Reduce oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish; set aside.

Melt butter in saucepan set over medium heat; add sage leaves. Cook for about 5 minutes or until ends begin to curl and butter is browned but not scorched. Transfer sage leaves to paper towel–lined plate.

Stir rice flour into butter in saucepan; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in whipping cream, a splash at a time, until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining salt and pepper, Parmesan and nutmeg.

Ladle 1 cup (250 mL) sauce into bottom of prepared dish. Top with one-third of the lasagne noodles, breaking noodles to fit snuggly. Top with 1 cup (250 mL) sauce, 4 sage leaves, 1 cup (250 mL) mozzarella, 1 tbsp (15 mL) hazelnuts and one-third of the sweet potato slices. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining sauce and sage leaves.

Place heart-shaped cookie cutter in centre of lasagne and fill with crumbled amaretto cookies.

Cover with foil; bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake for about 15 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

♥︎ Grate whole nutmeg on a fine rasp for the best flavour.

♥︎ Pierce a medium sweet potato all over and microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes or until tender. Let cool until easy to handle; peel and mash before adding to sauce if desired.

♥︎ Add a layer of shredded duck confit to make an extra-special lasagna.

Every gluten-free pasta lover deserves lasagna!