Cookbook Chronicles: Zucchini and Pesto Lasagna

Cookbook Chronicles is an on-going series at The Bookery. Over the course of the next year, we’re exploring Deb Perelman’s 2022 cookbook Smitten Kitchen Keepers, cooking one recipe a month and sharing our thoughts. 

It’s summer, so, of course, we’re returning to one of our favorite vegetables as we cook through Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen cookbook. This month, we’re in the “Big Vegetables” section, and I was intrigued by Deb’s zucchini and pesto lasagna recipe. 

The recipe:  Zucchini and pesto lasagna, p. 163

The cookbook: Smitten Kitchen Keepers by Deb Perelman

The details:  This is a pretty straightforward recipe, but it takes a little time to get all of the ingredients together. You have to chop and cook the zucchini and make the ricotta sauce, while you’re also prepping your lasagna noodles in a pan of hot water. If you’re not used to multitasking in the kitchen, I think this could feel a little stressful. But take your time and follow the directions, and you’ll be just fine! 

I really love Deb’s approach to cooking. Yes, this is an elevated recipe compared to what I’d probably pull together on a random Tuesday night after work, but her recipes don’t involve special or hard-to-find ingredients. Everything is clearly explained, and she doesn’t add in too many ingredients or flavors that compete with each other. 

The adjustments: When I was making my shopping list for the week I planned to make this lasagna, I just wrote “zucchini” down without paying attention to how much the recipe actually called for. Since my dad’s garden is four hours away and not quite producing copious amounts of zucchini just yet, I got mine at the store. And I didn’t get quite as much as the recipe called for. I did make my lasagna in a slightly smaller pan than recommended, so I think it evened out, but I really like zucchini so a little more wouldn’t hurt me at all. I’m also a huge fan of pesto, and I used Delallo’s Simply Pesto for this recipe. It was maybe a tad salty, but delicious! After trying a few store-bought pestos and not liking them at all, it was exciting to find a good one! 

The verdict:  I’ll definitely be making this one again soon. There’s a few steps to get all the various portions of this recipe ready to assemble, but the end result was delicious. The creamy ricotta sauce paired with pesto and sauteed zucchini—what’s not to like? I actually packed this for lunch at work several days this week, and I still wasn’t tired of it after several meals. That’s the true test of a recipe! 

Up Next: The Angry Grandma (pizza), p. 171

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