Learn how to make handkerchief lasagna with fresh pasta, cheesy filling, and rich sauce. Easy steps for a delicious baked meal.
This handkerchief lasagna recipe is a fun twist on traditional lasagna. Soft, thin pasta is filled with creamy cheese, fresh basil, and rich sauce, then baked to golden perfection. It’s easy to make at home and perfect for a comforting, delicious meal that everyone will enjoy.
Handkerchief Lasagna Recipe
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Refrigerate Time: 2 hrs
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or “OO” flour
Cheese Filling
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup finely minced Italian parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg yolk
Lasagna
- 6 fresh basil leaves, torn
- 3 cups prepared marinara sauce, or any other pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
- Make a pile of flour on your work surface and create a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and beat them with a fork, slowly mixing in the flour from the sides.
- When the dough becomes too thick to mix with a fork, use a bench scraper to fold the rest of the flour over the top and cut it in until you have a rough dough.
- Knead the dough by hand for about 3 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. Cover and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Then knead again for about 4 more minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- This dough makes enough for 2 lasagnas, so divide it in half. Wrap both pieces tightly—refrigerate one for at least 2 hours or overnight, and freeze the other for later.
- To make the cheese filling, mix ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, parsley, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle with your hands. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a very thin, large rectangle. Turn it over now and then so it doesn’t stick, adding flour as needed. Cut the dough lengthwise down the center to make 2 long strips.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently place the pasta strips into the boiling water and cook for 1½ minutes. Move the cooked pasta into a bowl of cold water to cool it, then place it on a work surface. Cut each strip in half to make 4 pieces.
- Save about ½ cup of the cheese filling. Spread the rest evenly over the 4 pasta pieces. Spoon about ⅓ cup of pasta sauce on each one and add some torn basil leaves. Save ¾ cup of mozzarella and sprinkle the rest evenly over the pasta. Fold each piece in half to make stuffed “handkerchiefs.”
- Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Place one handkerchief in the dish, then spread ⅓ of the reserved cheese filling, a few spoonfuls of sauce, and some mozzarella on top.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta pieces. Finish with sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into quarters and serving.
