Corsican Cheese Lasagna (A Lazy Cannelloni au Brocciu Recipe)

What is Corsican Cheese Lasagna Made Of?

The Corsican classic dish of Cannelloni au Brocciu is either served as a starter/entrée or as a main course and is just about on every menu in traditional Corsican restaurants. Although it's around all year, the Corsican signature cheese, Brocciu, is traditionally used to make this.

However, brocciu cheese is really only available between November and May-June. If you see it on menus over the summer months, don't scoff like my Corsican mother-in-law does. You'll probably just be getting a delicious substitute of soft ewe's milk cheese, Brousse, or ricotta instead.

So, a good quality ricotta is best if you can't find brocciu cheese to make this.

Is Lasagna Better with Ricotta or Cottage Cheese?

As ricotta is the best substitute for the traditional Brocciu cheese, is cottage cheese better than ricotta?

My simple answer is no. Use it if you really can't find ricotta. We find that cottage cheese in comparison is bland and doesn't give the typical flavours of the lasagna or cannelloni you would find on the island of Corsica.

So it's a good quality Italian ricotta all the way. Just add a good pinch of salt to it for an authentic taste like the Brocciu. Corsica is perhaps officially French but it's much more Italian in spirit - including the food. Of course, even better if you can find Brocciu cheese!

Do you Put Egg in Ricotta Cheese for Lasagna?

I add a couple of eggs to the ricotta cheese in this lasagna. It's important to bind the filling with egg, otherwise the filling will be too runny. Adding egg results in the lasagna setting beautifully in the oven plus adds a bit more protein to the whole dish.

Ricotta Lasagna with Spinach or Chard?

As in many Corsican recipes, blette or swiss chard is used in this classic dish.
Can't find chard easily? The best substitute for chard is spinach - or even beetroot leaves.

Using fresh lasagne sheets sandwiched with fresh ricotta or brousse (instead of classic brocciu in summer) with chard or spinach is in the same taste league as the traditional cannelloni. It's quicker and less fiddly than stuffing dried cannelloni tubes or rolling up fresh lasagne sheets.

However, this is my lazy version of the classic Corsican cannelloni au brocciu so if you want the authentic version, then replace lasagna with cannelloni tubes. Otherwise the taste in this recipe is authentic.

Luckily, Lucie is my willing helper in the kitchen who adores stuffing the tubes while listening to I Muvrini singing. Just listen to them and be transported to the Corsican island, known as Île de Beauté!

If you want to make your own homemade pasta from scratch, here's my recipe for fresh egg pasta.

The Secret to a Great Lasagna with Cheese: Corsican Mint

As with many Corsican dishes, a good amount of aromatic herbs are used that are found growing wild in the undergrowth of Corsica's Maquis or bush. The best tasting I had of this dish was in Rogliano, a tiny village at the most northern point of the "Island of Beauty's" Cap Corse. Their secret? Adding fresh mint to the filling. Since then, I always add it to this dish. You'll see: it makes all the difference, secretly tucked inside.

Nepita, a typical Corsican herb from the maquis is also used in Corsican cooking: it's a mixture of peppermint and oregano and added to tomato ragouts and stews, such as a Veal Stew with Peppers.

Corsican Cheese Lasagna Recipe with Ricotta

First briefly pre-cook the chopped chard or spinach leaves (stems removed) for about 5 minutes then set aside to cool.

In the meantime, fry the chopped onion in a little olive oil, then add the garlic, tin of tomatoes, purée and thyme over a medium heat then reduce to a gentle simmer.

In a mixing bowl, mash and mix together the ricotta or Brocciu with the cooked chard or spinach, a grating of nutmeg, chopped mint leaves, eggs, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Layer half of the tomato sauce at the bottom of a high-sided ovenproof dish that's big enough to hold the lasagna sheets.

Top with a lasagna sheet, then spread over the Ricotta or Brocciu cheese mix and repeat until the 2nd last lasagna sheet.

Finish off with the tomato sauce and grated parmesan (Parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese), then bake for about 20-25 minutes. If using dried pasta (or dried cannelloni tubes) then allow for another 20 minutes in the oven.

The Top Layer

While we normally add a top layer of cheese to a meat lasagne, this recipe is different. As cheese and spinach is in the filling, do like they do in Corsica: add a top layer of tomato sauce and garnish with more fresh mint.

However, we also like to add some freshly grated parmesan to finish before baking or to serve at the table. When I say Parmesan, please use the best quality you can, such as block of real Parmigiano Reggiano - otherwise Grana Padano, which is cheaper.

What Sides go with Cheese Lasagna?

The following are our best sides to accompany a meatless, cheesy lasagna:

• Simple green salad
• sautéed green beans with garlic
• Oven-roasted asparagus
• Roasted summer vegetables (French 'Tian')
• Mediterranean stuffed zucchini - excellent if serving together as part of a buffet