- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 630 kcal
Quick summary
“The ham and cheese rondelli joins sheets of lasagna dough filled with mozzarella cheese and sliced ham, rolled into a snail, covered with velvety béchamel sauce, and baked in the oven with grated cheese.”
What you need to know
- The preliminary 5-minute cooking of the dough in salted water softens the leaves for rolling without breaking.
- The white sauce made with a butter and flour roux cooked with milk provides creaminess without curdling.
- The melted mozzarella cheese between the layers fuses with the ham and sauce during the 30 minutes in the oven.
Ingredients
Main
- 8 sheets of lasagna noodles
- 300g of sliced ham
- 300g of sliced mozzarella cheese
- 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons of wheat flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- If you desire a more intense flavor, add herbs like oregano or basil to the sauce.
- For a healthier version, use lean ham and Minas cheese.
- Substitute the lasagna sheets with zucchini slices for a low carb version.
- Serve with a light salad to balance the dish.
- Store refrigerated and consume within 3 days.
Instructions
Principal
- Cook the pasta sheets in salted water for 5 minutes and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring until a roux is formed.
- Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly until you get a creamy white sauce.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a pan, place a layer of sauce, followed by a sheet of pasta, ham, cheese, and repeat until the ingredients are finished.
- Finish with the white sauce and sprinkle grated cheese on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's tips
- Dip the cooked dough sheets in cold water immediately to stop the heat and prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Roll up the filled strips, pressing gently so the ham and mozzarella are very firm.
- Cut the rolls into uniform slices of about 3 to 4 cm using a sharp serrated knife.
Variations
- Spread 1 teaspoon of basil pesto sauce over the cheese before rolling the rondellis.
- Alternate the white sauce with 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce in the assembly to create a classic rosé topping.
- Add 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the white sauce to reinforce the notes of Italian cuisine.
Substitutions
- The dry lasagna noodles can be replaced by fresh pasta sheets or ready-to-use fresh lasagna sheets.
- Cooked ham can be replaced with sliced turkey breast or thin slices of Parma ham.
- Mozzarella can be swapped for sliced prato cheese, gouda cheese, or smoked provolone cheese.
How to store
Keep the baking dish covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes to melt the cheese without drying out the dough.
Can it be frozen?
It can be frozen assembled in the tray before or after baking for up to 60 days in the freezer. To bake frozen, place in the oven at 180°C covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes, removing the foil in the last 10 minutes.
What to serve with
Accompanied by green salad of noble leaves with cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette, as well as slices of hot Italian bread. Pairs perfectly with Chianti red wine or chilled whole grape juice.
Frequently asked questions
How to prevent the white sauce from clumping in the pan?
Pour the milk gradually over the flour with browned butter, whisking constantly with a wire whisk.
How to cut the rondellis without squashing the stuffed rolls?
Let the rolls rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator before cutting and use a very sharp smooth-bladed knife.
How many rondellis does each lasagna sheet yield?
Normally each rolled sheet yields 2 to 3 individual rondellis, depending on the width of the cut.
Can I use fresh lasagna dough directly without cooking in water?
If the fresh pasta is very soft, you can roll it raw as long as you increase the amount of liquid sauce in the baking dish.
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