White Mortadella Spinach Sage Lasagna

After eating my heart out in northern Italy for nearly a month (primarily charcuterie meats and cheeses, which are my utter weakness in life – along with unlimited fruits and veggies), I returned home inspired to bake a different sort of lasagna for the loves in my life.

Mortadella lasagna – yes, Italian “bologna.” This thinly sliced meat is nothing like the American bologna we haphazardly throw on white bread with mayo – this is a delicate cut of meat, often cured with pistachios, and served with a variety of different hard cheeses on an appetizer board with other meats, served with wine.

Sage and spinach in this lasagna complement the meat and pistachio flavors, as well as a variety of “Alpine” cheese flavors with tang and subtle salinity. 

When all is said and done, this is an Ashley Italian masterpiece.

White Mortadella Spinach Sage Lasagna

½ pkg ready-to-bake lasagna noodles (or better yet, homemade)
4 Tbs butter, divided
1 large shallot, minced
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 Tbs. dried sage
sea salt and pepper
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
16 oz. “Alpine” cheese, shredded (Swiss, Provolone, asiago, Parmesan, whole milk mozzarella)
12 oz. thinly sliced Mortadella ham

Preheat oven to 425 °F.

Melt 2 Tbs. butter over medium heat and sauté the shallots until translucent. Add the sage, salt, and pepper, as well as the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted.

Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the mascarpone cheese, until well combined. 
Set aside.

Melt the additional 2 Tbs. butter in the same pan and stir in the flour to create a roux. Constantly whisking, stir in the milk in order to form a thick, creamy béchamel sauce.

Remove from heat.

Begin with a very small drizzle of the white béchamel over the bottom of an 8x8” baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, a layer of Mortadella, the spinach mascarpone, and then a sprinkling of shredded cheese (keeping the ingredients divided into thirds). Repeat two more times and end with a sprinkling of the last of the cheese (or additional cheese always makes things better).

Bake for 25 minutes, until the top layer of cheese is golden brown and bubbling.

Cool before slicing and serving – or serve leftover and reheated (I think leftover lasagna is always better).

A nice spinach salad and freshly baked bread on the side complete the meal.