Giada's Family Dinners: Lasagna Rolls, Serves 6

Sauce

 2 T unsalted butter

4 t flour

1 1/4 C Whole Milk

1/4 t salt

1/8 t pepper

pinch of nutmeg

Lasagna 

1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed really dry

1 C plus 2 T parmesan cheese

3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 t salt, plus more for pasta

1/2 t pepper

12 dried lasagna noodles

butter, for baking dish

2 cups good marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

To make the sauce

Melt the butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the flour and cook for 3 min., whisking continuously.  Whisk in the milk.  Increase the heat to medium-high.  Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 min.  Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the cream sauce.

To make the lasagna

In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, prosciutto, egg, the 3/4 t salt, and pepper until blended.

Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Ass the lasagna noodles and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently to prevent the noodles from sticking together.  Drain.  Arrange the noodles in a singe layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.  Spread the cream sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish.

Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 T of the ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle.  Roll the noodles up and arrange the rolls, seam sides down and not touching one another, atop the cream sauce.  Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.  Spoon 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls then sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining 2 T of parmesan cheese.  Cover the dish tightly with foil.  Bake until rolls are heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 min.  Uncover and bake until the cheese on top is golden, about 1 min longer.  Let stand for 10 min.

Meanwhile, heat the reaming marinara sauce in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot.  Transfer the sauce to a sauceboat and serve alongside.