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Dairy Council

Young Cook Finalist Recipes

‘Going for Gold’ Chicken & Pesto Lasagne

Servings
Serves 4
Chef
Alex Davis
School
Fleming Fulton School, Belfast
Teacher
Special Education Special Education

Ingredients

1 packet chicken thighs

1 packet pancetta or bacon cubes

1 packet lasagne sheets

1 jar green pesto

500g ricotta cheese

25g Northern Ireland cheese, grated

2 courgettes, sliced thinly lengthways

1 bunch asparagus spears

1 bag spinach

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red onion, chopped

2 tbsp chicken stock

1 handful fresh basil, chopped

Lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Servings
Serves 4
Chef
Alex Davis
School
Fleming Fulton School, Belfast
Teacher
Special Education Special Education

Method

Slice chicken into thin strips, remove sinew or fat. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and fry the chicken and pancetta. Set aside to cool.

In the pan, sauté the chopped onion. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken, pancetta, pesto, stock and a little water. Add the spinach to wilt, and season.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC /Gas 3. Use a large lasagne dish and assemble – layer the chicken pesto mix, add a layer of lasagne sheets, and then a layer of courgette strips and asparagus spears. Repeat until the dish is full. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Mix the ricotta with basil, salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Remove the lasagne from the oven, take off the foil and spread the ricotta cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 10 minutes more.

Serve with a salad of tomatoes, mixed leaves and roasted peppers.