4 Cheese Sage Pesto Florentine Lasagna

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt and black pepper

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk or canned coconut milk
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère or fontina cheese
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cups whole milk ricotta
• 2 cups shredded provolone
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 1 large egg
• 1 box no-boil lasagna noodles

1. 1.Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 9x13 inch pan.
2. 2. In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter, garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook 3-4 minutes, until the butter is lightly browning. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and broth. Season with salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in the Gruyère/fontina cheese, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and the nutmeg. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from the heat.
3. 3. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, provolone, spinach, pesto, and egg. Season with pepper.
4. 4. Spread 1/4 of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 3-4 lasagna sheets. Spread with 1/2 the ricotta cheese mixture and another 1/4 of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layering. Repeat the layering until all the sauce has been used...don't stress about making it perfect. Top with a 1/2 cup of parmesan.
5. 5. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the top has bubbled up and browned a bit. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

To Make Ahead: Prepare the lasagna through step 4, but do not bake. Cover and store the assembled lasagna in the fridge for up to 2 days. To bake, remove the lasagna from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.

To Freeze: Prepare the lasagna through step 5, but do not bake. Cover and wrap tightly in foil, then plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw: thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge. To bake from frozen, remove the plastic wrap and bake, covered at 375 for 1 hour or until the center is hot. Remove the foil and bake another 40-45 minutes, until the top has browned.

To Make Gluten Free: Use gluten free no-boil lasagna noodles and an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.