I never get tired of my chard bouquets.  I really like the orange and pink stems of this one.  It was Arielle’s birthday dinner, so I wanted to do a twist on a traditional lasagna.  This is lighter than the other pesto based lasagnas I have made, and I was very happy with the outcome.  A definite keeper.  I could be made with spinach as well.  This recipe is adapted from the swiss chard lasagna recipe in Food Network Magazine.

Swiss Chard Lasagna

6 no-boil lasagna noodles

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 bunch swiss chard (from the garden), finely chopped, leaves and stems separated

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup whole milk

1 egg (from Farmer Kim)

1/4 cup pesto (homemade)

pinch of salt and pepper

7 ounces asiago cheese, shredded (2 cups)

2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Soak the lasagna noodles in a bowl of hot water until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chard stems and garlic and cook til golden, about 4 minutes.  Add the leaves and cook til wilted, about 3 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the ricotta, milk, egg, pesto, salt and pepper.

Brush a 2 qt baking dish with oil, or use olive oil spray, and lay 3 noodles in a single layer.  Top with half each of the ricotta mixture, chard and asiago.  Repeat with the remaining noodles, ricotta chard and asiago.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, until cheese melts.  Remove the foil, sprinkle on the mozzarella and bake until bubbly and golden, about 5 minutes.

Serves 4 – 6.  Serve and enjoy!