Ingredients

Olive oil (for brushing)
1 14- to 16-ounce eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 large red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide strips
8 1/2-inch-thick slices olive bread or country white bread
8 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 5-ounce package baby spinach

Directions

1. Brush panini press, panini pan, or grill rack with oil; heat press, pan, or barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush eggplant rounds and pepper strips with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill eggplant until tender, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Working in batches, grill bell peppers until tender, turning occasionally and flattening with back of spatula for even cooking, about 6 minutes.
2. Place 8 eggplant rounds and 8 bell pepper strips on rimmed baking sheet. Place remaining eggplant and peppers on work surface and slice thinly; reserve for salad.
3. Place 4 bread slices on work surface. Divide half of Fontina cheese among bread slices; top each with 2 eggplant rounds, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Top each with 2 bell pepper strips. Arrange remaining Fontina cheese atop peppers, then top with remaining bread slices, pressing to compact. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with plastic and let stand at room temperature.
4. Heat panini press, panini pan, or barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush press or pan with oil (if using barbecue, lightly brush bread slices with oil). Place sandwiches in press or pan or on grill; cover and cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side.
5. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar in large bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add spinach, thinly sliced eggplant, and thinly sliced peppers; toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Cut sandwiches in half. Serve with spinach salad.

Serves 4.

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Ingredients

Herb Pesto
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 6-ounce packages baby spinach
Lasagna
15 no-boil 7x3 1/2-inch lasagna noodles (from two 9-ounce packages)
3 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese (28 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 large egg
2 cups coarsely grated Italian Fontina cheese (8 to 9 ounces), divided

Directions

1. For Pesto: Combine first 6 ingredients in processor. Blend until herbs are finely chopped. Add oil and blend to coarse puree. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. Can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pesto and chill.
2. For Sauce: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk 1 minute (do not brown). Add milk and wine and whisk until smooth. Cook until sauce thickens and comes to boil, whisking constantly, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and salt. Season sauce to taste with pepper. Sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
4. For Spinach: Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic. Sauté until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add all spinach (pot will be full). Cook spinach until wilted but still bright green, tossing often, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer spinach to large sieve set over bowl; reserve pot. Press out excess liquid from spinach. Drain 10 to 15 minutes longer.
5. Return drained liquid from spinach to reserved pot. Boil until liquid is reduced to glaze. Return spinach to pot and toss 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 cups sauce. Season spinach to taste with pepper.
6. For Lasagna: Place noodles in large bowl. Fill bowl with hot tap water. Soak noodles until pliable, stirring occasionally to separate, about 15 minutes. Place large sheet of parchment paper on work surface. Transfer noodles to parchment in single layer, shaking off excess water.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix ricotta, Parmesan, and lemon peel in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Mix in egg.
8. Spread 1/2 cup sauce thinly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with 3 noodles, arranged side by side and covering most of bottom of dish. Spread half of spinach mixture over (about 1 1/2 cups). Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Fontina. Top with 3 noodles and half of ricotta mixture (generous 13/4 cups). Drop half of pesto over by teaspoonfuls, spacing drops evenly apart.
9. Continue layering with 3 noodles, remaining spinach mixture, 1/3 cup Fontina, 3 more noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, then remaining pesto. Top with last 3 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over; sprinkle with remaining Fontina. Cover dish with buttered foil.
10. Bake lasagna until heated through and bubbling at edges, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove foil from dish.
11. Preheat broiler. Broil lasagna until top is browned in spots, turning dish occasionally for even browning, about 4 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes to set up.

Serves 8.

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Ingredients

Herb Pesto
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 6-ounce packages baby spinach
Lasagna
15 no-boil 7x3 1/2-inch lasagna noodles (from two 9-ounce packages)
3 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese (28 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 large egg
2 cups coarsely grated Italian Fontina cheese (8 to 9 ounces), divided

Directions

1. For Pesto: Combine first 6 ingredients in processor. Blend until herbs are finely chopped. Add oil and blend to coarse puree. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. Can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pesto and chill.
2. For Sauce: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk 1 minute (do not brown). Add milk and wine and whisk until smooth. Cook until sauce thickens and comes to boil, whisking constantly, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and salt. Season sauce to taste with pepper. Sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
4. For Spinach: Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic. Sauté until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add all spinach (pot will be full). Cook spinach until wilted but still bright green, tossing often, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer spinach to large sieve set over bowl; reserve pot. Press out excess liquid from spinach. Drain 10 to 15 minutes longer.
5. Return drained liquid from spinach to reserved pot. Boil until liquid is reduced to glaze. Return spinach to pot and toss 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 cups sauce. Season spinach to taste with pepper.
6. For Lasagna: Place noodles in large bowl. Fill bowl with hot tap water. Soak noodles until pliable, stirring occasionally to separate, about 15 minutes. Place large sheet of parchment paper on work surface. Transfer noodles to parchment in single layer, shaking off excess water.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix ricotta, Parmesan, and lemon peel in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Mix in egg.
8. Spread 1/2 cup sauce thinly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with 3 noodles, arranged side by side and covering most of bottom of dish. Spread half of spinach mixture over (about 1 1/2 cups). Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Fontina. Top with 3 noodles and half of ricotta mixture (generous 13/4 cups). Drop half of pesto over by teaspoonfuls, spacing drops evenly apart.
9. Continue layering with 3 noodles, remaining spinach mixture, 1/3 cup Fontina, 3 more noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, then remaining pesto. Top with last 3 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over; sprinkle with remaining Fontina. Cover dish with buttered foil.
10. Bake lasagna until heated through and bubbling at edges, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove foil from dish.
11. Preheat broiler. Broil lasagna until top is browned in spots, turning dish occasionally for even browning, about 4 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes to set up.

Serves 8.

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