Extreme Seafood Lasagna

Ingredients

Bechamel Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 4 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%)

• 1 small onion, halved

• 4 large cloves garlic

• 1 large bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• fresh grated nutmeg, about 10 grates or 1/4 teaspoon

Ricotta Cheese Filling:

• 2 cups good quality whole milk ricotta cheese

• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

• 1 large egg, beaten

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto:

• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers (roast your own or use jarred variety)

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Seafood and remaining lasagna ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons herbed sea salt

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 pound small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, 50 to 70 count

• 1 pound squid, cleaned and sliced

• 1 pound crabmeat, king, rock, backfin or jumbo lump crab. Just so the crab is somewhat chunky.

• 1 pound smoked mussel meat, drained

• 1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked al dente, drained, layered between parchment or foil to avoid sticking.

• 2 cups parmesan cheese, grated

• 3/4 pound smoked gouda cheese, thinly sliced (at the deli)

Directions

Bechamel Sauce:

• in a dutch oven, melt butter on medium heat, add flour and stir in well using a wooden spoon, do not brown. Whisk in milk slowly, bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add remaining ingredients except for salt and nutmeg, simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be reduced by 1/3. Remove from heat, strain thru fine meshed sieve. Season with salt and nutmeg. Cover with plastic wrap laying directly on the sauce to prevent skin from forming.

Ricotta Mixture:

• Combine all ingredients, set aside.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto:

• Combine garlic, peppers, and basil in food processor, process until finely chopped. Add pine nuts and parmesan cheese, blend until smooth. While machine is running, slowly stream in olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and process. Remove to a bowl, set aside.

Shrimp and Squid:

• Season both shrimp and squid with herbed salt. Heat olive oil in saute pan. Saute until just cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Combine with well drained mussels and well drained crabmeat. Preheat oven to425 degrees.Using 13 x 9 inch pan, coat bottom with thin layer of red pepper pesto, layer in 4 lasagna noodles overlapping 1/4 inch .Spread thin layer of bechamel, then seafood, followed by sliced smoked gouda and ricotta cheese mixture. Dot with pesto. Lay another layer of noodles, thin layer of bechamel, remainder of seafood, 1 cup grated parmesan, and remaining gouda. Dot with pesto. Top with noodles, remaining bechamel, and remaining parmesan.Cover loosely with foil, bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, raise temperature to 500 degrees, bake 6-8 minutes until bubbly. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 minutes. Top with remaining pesto when serving.

• Serves 8 to 10 people generously. Enjoy!