Lemony fennel lasagne.William MeppemI was in my early 20s, had just moved to Italy and there I was, in a Tuscan villa, learning how to make an artichoke lasagne. It was an absolute revelation: delicate, yet rich and just so of-the-season. The artichokes were cooked in bianco (meaning no red sauce; just with some garlic, mint and a little wine.)This fennel lasagne, spiked with lemon and plenty of cheese, is an ode to that life-enhancing artichoke lasagne. In a white lasagne such as this, blanching the lasagne sheets before assembly ensures they’re perfectly cooked.IngredientsFor the braised fennel3 bulbs fennel, trimmed3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 eschalots (French shallots), halved and thinly sliced6 strips lemon peel2 fresh bay leaves3 garlic cloves, roughly choppedsea salt100ml vermouth or dry white wineFor the besciamella80g unsalted butter80g plain flour1 litre full-cream milk, plus extra if neededfinely grated zest of lemonpinch freshly grated nutmegTo assemble18-20 dried lasagne sheets (around 350g)2 x 125g balls fresh buffalo mozzarella, roughly diced100g finely grated parmigiano reggiano or grana padano50g finely grated pecorinoMethodmake the braised fennelStep 1Halve the fennel bulbs, then cut into 6-7mm slices. Place in a pan with the olive oil, eschalots, peel, bay leaves, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften and colour.Step 2Pour in the vermouth or wine and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the fennel is very tender. If the fennel becomes dry as it cooks, add a bit of water to the pan. Remove the bay leaves and set aside.make the besciamellaStep 1Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and, when foaming, sprinkle in the flour. Whisk to form a roux and cook until it starts to colour (2 minutes).Step 2Pour the cold milk into the roux slowly, whisking constantly, to avoid any lumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking consistently, for 3-4 minutes or until the besciamella has thickened.Step 3Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg and season to taste. Remove from the heat.To assembleStep 1Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).Step 2Blanch the lasagne sheets, a few at a time, in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 30 seconds. Place them in a single layer on clean tea towels to prevent them from sticking.Step 3Grease a 30cm square baking dish with butter and spread a thin layer of besciamella over the base. Add a layer of pasta, followed by a layer of the fennel mixture. Spoon over a third of the remaining besciamella, dot with mozzarella and top with a good scattering of the grated cheeses.Step 4Continue until all the ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of pasta, some besciamella that has been thinned out with a little milk (if needed, to make it easier to cover the pasta), and a scattering of the grated cheeses.Step 5Bake for 40 minutes or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling. Allow to stand for 10–15 minutes, then cut and serve.