Silverbeet & Ricotta Lasagna

I love silverbeet. For those that don't know what silverbeet is, this is an excerpt from "The Cook's Thesaurus":

 Swiss chard = chard = spinach beet = leaf beet = seakale beet = silver beet = white beet    Notes:  Swiss chard is used much like spinach, except that it has an appealing beet-like flavor and a heavier texture, which requires longer cooking.  Many cooks simply sauté it in olive oil and serve it as a side dish.  Red chard = rhubarb chard = ruby chard, with green leaves and red stalks, is slightly more tender and flavorful than white chard = green chard, with white stalks and green leaves, but the two are interchangeable in most recipes.    Substitutes: beet greens OR spinach OR turnip greens OR bok choy OR escarole OR mustard greens.

It's really easy to grow (not that I'm growing it) and, when in season, is really cheap to buy. It's really high in nutritional value, for example it has high levels of magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate (folic acid), zinc, copper, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E (source).

Whenever I get it, I like to make it into a quiche, canneloni or lasagne and, if I have time, ravioli. Here's my recipe for Silverbeet & Ricotta Lasagna.

Silverbeet & Ricotta Lasagna

2 cans diced Italian Roma tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbs dried basil
1 tbs dried oregano
salt & pepper
1 bunch silverbeet, white stalks removed and green leaves roughly chopped
enough water in bottom of pan to create steam (approx 1/4 cup)
250gm ricotta cheese
instant lasagna noodles
2 tbs parmesan cheese

1 quantity of bechamel sauce

1. Fry onion in EVOO until softened, add garlic, tinned tomatoes, dried herbs and salt & pepper. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for approx 20 mins.
2. Blanch silverbeet in small amount of water until softened. (It will reduce in quantity quite considerably.) Allow to cool slightly.  Add ricotta cheese.
3. Add 1/3 of tomato sauce to bottom of pan. Place lasagna sheets on top. Add a layer of ricotta/silverbeet mixture then another layer of lasagna sheets. Continue, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce.
4. Top with bechamel sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in a 180 deg C (375 deg F ) oven for approx 20 minutes or until golden brown and lasagna sheets are soft.

NB:  This amount makes a medium sized baking dish, enough for 4 serves.