Florentine Lasagna with Ricotta, Spinach & Double Cream

This creamy Florentine Lasagna is the perfect comforting bake when you’re craving something cheesy but still packed with greens. Layers of ricotta, baby spinach, garlic oil and mozzarella come together in this rich, satisfying dish—ideal for a weekend dinner. The delicate ricotta filling pairs beautifully with the cayenne and lemon zest, while the golden bubbling top seals the deal.

Serves 2–3 | Gluten-free option

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 270g cooked baby spinach (approx. 500g raw)

• 4–5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 250g ricotta

• 50g Grana Padano, grated (plus 25g for topping) (remove if veggie)

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1 medium egg

• Salt + pepper

To assemble:

• 7 lasagna sheets (GF or regular)

• 200ml double cream

• 1 ball mozzarella

• 15g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Method

1. Prep the spinach:
Blanch the spinach until wilted. Once cool, squeeze out as much water as possible and roughly chop.

2. Mix the filling:
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 50g Grana Padano, cayenne, lemon zest, egg, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Infuse garlic oil:
In a small frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until just golden. Mix the garlic and oil into the ricotta filling, then stir in the chopped spinach.

4. Soften the lasagna sheets:
Place the sheets in freshly boiled water for 2 minutes to soften, then drain.

5. Layer up:
Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan). In a 26cm x 21cm baking tray, spoon in a little double cream as your base layer. Add a layer of lasagna, then spread on a generous amount of spinach-ricotta mixture, a few spoonfuls of cream, and a grating of Grana Padano. Tear over some mozzarella, season with salt and pepper, and repeat the layers—aiming for three pasta layers total.

6. Finish and bake:
Top with remaining cream, mozzarella, Grana Padano, and dot the butter over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.