Asparagus Lasagna

There is something about leeks. They taste so so yummy. But they are so expensive {at least in our area}. I should stop gushing and complaining and just go plant some in my garden.  
But how do you grow a leek?
I keep typing and erasing. Today is not my day to be witty. So, I'll be serious. This lasagna is serious. Sun-dried tomatoes.
Asparagus. Leeks. Grated Parmesan. Basil. Olive oil. Mozzarella. Ricotta.

Serious. Seriously expensive.
Next time, I'll wait until leeks are in season and parmesan is on sale. And hopefully that will coincide with local asparagus. This stuff is amazing.

And you know all those tomatoes growing bravely along the backside of our house? Many of them are now tagged for sun-drying.
Or some sort of drying.

Because this lasagna is GOOD. And those Stripple Tomato Scones I made last year are really good too.
And an 8 oz jar of these gold nuggets is...more than I want to pay on a regular basis.
I made this while both kids were awake. And running amok. Consequently, I forgot to add the ricotta and boiled way too many lasagna noodles.
AND neglected to drain the sun-dried tomatoes. So it was kinda oily.
But it still tasted wonderful. To see the recipe and the changes I made {intended or not}, read on...

Delicious Asparagus Lasagna
{taken from Marcus Samuelsson and modified}

9 lasagna sheets {not the oven ready kind}
1 tsp olive oil
2 (8.5 oz) jars sun-dried tomatoes, drained {yes, please drain the oil!}
1 1/2 packed cups fresh basil {or about 2 tsp of dried basil}
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus another 1/4 cup {some goes in with the tomatoes, some gets sprinkled onto onions and leeks}
1 medium onion, diced
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese {tastes just fine without}
1 tsp salt
4 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella {sprinkled on leeks and onions and on the top}

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 {if you plan to bake it right then}.  Combine the sun-dried tomatoes and basil in a small bowl.  Stir in 1/2 cup parmesan.  Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.  Saute the leeks, onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the asparagus and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Mix with the ricotta and salt.

3. Spread some of the sun-dried tomato mixture onto the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place some lasagna sheets, then half the asparagus mixture.  Next sprinkle some mozzarella and parmesan.  Repeat for one more layer.  Top with lasagna sheets, some sun-dried tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes.  Let sit 5 minutes before cutting.

You are going to love this.