Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto

Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto. A scrumptious take on lasagna using Savoy cabbage as the pasta sheets, béchamel with a twist, some Italian ham, and a lovely cheese meant for melting. If you love cabbage, you are going to fall in love with this dish!

Song of the day: "Euforia" by Annalisa

Totally inspired by this Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto

Do you ever have those moments where you are so inspired that the excitement overcomes you and bringing your inspiration to life is all you can think of? This was the case for me!

Nicoletta and I were watching our favorite show on the Italian network, Rai. It is called E' Sempre Mezzogiorno, a program about cooking, baking, etc, highlighting recipes from various regions of Italy. On this particular episode, they were making a Savoy Cabbage Lasagna. Knowing I had cabbage in the fridge to use up, I said to myself, "this is going to happen," and so it did.

What's on the menu today?

As a result, today we are going to make this delectable Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto, and you are going to be blown away with the end result. It is comforting and delicious, plus it has a wow factor. Let's get into it!

Why you want to try this dish

Indeed, just looking at this lasagna with all that gooey cheese, kale bechamel sauce all nestled with steamed Savoy cabbage and Italian ham (prosciutto cotto) is all the reason I need to want to make it. However, if you still need to be sold, here are some other good reasons:

• Firstly, it can be gluten free
• Secondly, a very inexpensive dish that can feed many
• Thirdly, easy to put together once all the components are ready
• Fourthly, a great alternative to the traditional lasagna
• Last but not least, it's Italian and super delicious! Are you sold?

What you will need from the kitchen for this Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto

• Large pot and steaming tray for the cabbage
• Medium pot for the kale
• Sauté pan
• Medium sauce pot to make the béchamel
• Some bowls
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Good chopping knife
• Spatula
• Cheese grater
• Cutting board

Here are the ingredients

Béchamel:

• unsalted butter
• flour, corn starch, arrow root flour, or any gluten free flour if you want it gluten free
• 3.25 % milk
• shredded Italian Provolone
• salt and pepper
• fresh grated nutmeg

Kale:

• a bundle of black Tuscan kale, washed and stems removed
• evo oil
• whole garlic pressed
• red chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Lasagna:

• Savoy cabbage
• prosciutto cotto
• sautéed kale
• Scamorza, both cubed and shredded
• grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Substitutions and Tips

Most of the ingredients are easy to find. However, if you do not have an Italian market close by, these two ingredients may be harder to find.

• For the scamorza, you can substitute mozzarella.
• Any cooked ham can be substituted for the prosciutto cotto.
• Also, spinach work well instead of the kale. Or, you can skip the greens, and just have plain béchamel.
• Lastly, if you want to make the dish gluten free, you can use a gluten free flour instead of the regular flour. If you want to use cornstarch, make sure to mix it well with cold water, then put it in after the provolone goes in.

Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto, prep is key

I hear people say that these types of recipes are labor intensive. In some ways yes, however, if you are organized and get some things ready ahead of time, it will not feel that way. It also allows you to put some love into every stage of the recipe. I am going to show you how easy it is by prepping the ingredients.

Let's prep the kale

• This is our start. Bring a pot of water to boil, clean the leaves of the kale from the stems, break them up, give it a good wash, and place in a pot to cook for 8-10 minutes. Scoop out and drain.
• In a saute pan drizzle some evo oil, sprinkle in some chili flakes, and a whole pressed garlic. Turn on the heat, and when garlic starts to sizzle, add in the kale.
• Toss in the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and set aside in a bowl.

The cabbage

• Bring a pot of water to boil, seperate the leaves from the head of the cabbge being careful not to break them.
• Rinse with cold water then place them in the steamer in a single layer. Once tender take them out and place on a plate. Put the other cabbage leaves in the steamer and once tender too, take them out and place them with the other steamed leaves, set aside.

Let's make béchamel

• Place butter into a sauce pan, turn heat to a medium. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk, keeping the heat on. When it forms a paste and turns a golden color, add the milk, salt pepper, and nutmeg, and whisk away until smooth.
• As the béchamel thickens, add in the Provolone and whisk again. When you see the mixture thickening and looking well incorporated, turn off heat.
• Spoon 4 tablespoon into a dish and set aside for later.
• Now, take the kale and place it in the remaining béchamel and with a hand blender puree until well mixed. Set aside.

Time to assembly the dish

• Firstly, cut up the scamorza into small cubes and grate or shred some.
• Secondly, in a rectangular baking dish, spoon some of the kale/béchamel sauce onto the bottom.
• Thirdly, place the steamed Savoy cabbage over the sauce. Layer in the prosciutto cotto and then scatter the cubed scamorza on top.

Second layer of this Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto

Basically we are repeating the same as the first layer. Goes something like this:

• Layer the cabbage on top of the prosciutto cotto and cubed scamorza. Spread some of the kale/béchamel over the cabbage.
• Then place more prosciutto cotto, sprinkle some grated Parmigiano, and scatter the scamorza. Second layer is done!
• The third layer is the same as the second layer, just do the same thing.

Fourth and final layer

We are almost done, this is the last layer. Here is what we are going to do:

• Place the cabbage on. Now, those reserved 4 spoons of the plain béchamel. Drizzle that over the cabbage.
• Time to sprinkle the scamorza that we grated or shredded. Also, sliver one slice of the prosciutto cotto and place it sporadically with the cheese.
• A touch of evo oil over the top, and this beautiful Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto is ready for the oven.

There is nothing like golden melted cheese, however, the aroma of this lasagna coming out of the oven has me so hungry now. Can't wait to dig into it. However, as you would do for any Lasagna or Parmigiana, let it sit a bit to firm up before cutting in!

Is that not just a thing of beauty? Those crispy edges, that bubbling cheese and béchamel, absolutely yummy! Time for a taste, let's cut ourselves a piece!

Unbelievable!

I am totally a cabbage lover, but now I am infatuated with this Savoy Cabbage Lasagna with Scamorza and Prosciutto cotto. The kale/bechamel sauce just comforts the cabbage and you can taste that hint of kale in the béchamel and the sauce just richens the kale flavor in a creamy way! Scamorza is so stringy and gooey, just what this lasagna needs. It also has a beautiful umami, buttery flavor. The cabbage is a perfect substitute for pasta sheets. It has a lovely sweetness and pairs so well with everything in the layers!

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than cooking with you and seeing the joy in cooking good food! Thank you so much for trying this recipe with me.

If cabbage is your thing, check out our Oven roasted cheesy cabbage, Fried cabbage with pancetta, or Braised purple cabbage.

Keep cooking, everyone!

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