Baked seafood lasagna
( Lasagne di mare )

Recipe for Italian baked seafood lasagna

Preparation and cooking

• - The day before.
  Thaw all frozen fish. Place it in the fridge, overnight.
• - The day after.
  Prepare seafood sauce.
  Chop shallot and leek very finely.
  Put them in a large pan together with olive oil and bay leaves.
  Let all fry slightly on very low heat, stirring frequently.
  Meantime cut squids into rings but let their tentacles whole.
  Stir in them to flavor, after increasing heat. Add their preservation liquid too, if present.
  After few minutes pour in puréed tomatoes and at least two ladles of hot water.
  Reduce heat and continue cooking, half covered, stirring now and then, about 40 minutes.
  Add other boiling water if necessary.
  Meanwhile mash your pumpkin and cut rockfish and plaice fillets into strips.
  Add these kinds of fish and pumpkin to the pan too.
  Season to taste with salt and cook, stirring now and then, other 10 minutes.
  Now it's time to add mussels, clams, their preservation liquid (if present), chives and parsley
  Cook, 2 minutes.
  Turn off the stove, add shrimps. Stir.
  Your sauce is ready!
• - Preaheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• - Beat all eggs with a pinch of salt and paprika, if liked.
• - Assemble your seafood lasagna.
  Spread a few tablespoons of seafood sauce on the bottom of at least two lasagna baking pans. The exact number of pans depends on many factors including the size of your baking pans and lasagna sheets.
  Arrange a first layer of lasagna sheets.
  Cover with seafood sauce.
  Continue alternating layers of lasagna sheets to sauce until all ingredients are used.
  Every now and then spread some forkful of beaten eggs towards the edge of the pan and press the edges of the lasagna with the fork.
  Cover with seafood sauce, completely, and mix some forkful of beaten eggs with it.
• - Bake. about 20 minutes.

Jus before serving

• - Usually, I prepare my seafood lasagna some hours ahead to let it rest.
  Then I warm it up just before serving.
  This way I can cut it very well!

Note

Tips

• - Beaten egg must link all layers and effectively replaces well the white sauce. But you always have to make it fall towards the edge so that it can act better!
• - You can choose your favorite fish fillets provided that they break up well.
  When I have enough time I buy fresh clams and mussels in their shell (1kg mussels and 1kg clams that is 2.2 pounds per every kind of mollusc). But when I have to prepare a full fish-only menu, I always help myself with some frozen fish. It is important to know good-quality brands that ensure you tasty products.
• - I never use thin egg sheets for this seafood lasagna recipe. I prefer thicker ones. I often use emmer lasagna sheets that are truly exceptional with this seafood sauce.

Menu planning

• - I suggest to prepare this seafood lasagna only for your special occasions. Too rich in ingredients to make it for your family menu and, first of all, too elaborate.
• - It is fantastic for your Christmas Eve menu!

Useful links for this recipe

• - Have a look at our fish directory. You could find recipes to plan a fish-only menu.
• - You could be interested in our Italian themed dinner menus too.

Healthy eating

• - The portion of this seafood lasagna does not have an excessive number of calories and is also quite limited in fats. Everything depends on the choice and quantity of its ingredients. But beware, everything changes if you transgress these suggested servings. As usual, the quantity is the most important thing in our daily diet.
• - Fiber per serving: 6.6 grams

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Baked seafood lasagna "?

What about a good-quality white wine such as Vernaccia di Oristano (white wine from Sardinia - Italy)?