How to Make Ham and Courgette Lasagne

Ingredients

• 6 oz (180 g) gluten-free plain flour mix, plus extra for dusting
• 3½ oz (100 g) brown rice flour
• 3½ oz (100 g) tapioca flour
• 3½ oz (100 g) potato flour
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 4 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten

• 4 oz (120 g) whole almonds, 2 tbsp set aside, the rest chopped
• a large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon juice and finely grated zest
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled, finely chopped
• 12 oz (350 g) ricotta
• 7 fl oz (200 ml) whipping cream
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 4 courgettes, sliced lengthways
• 9 oz (250 g) ham, diced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. For the pasta dough, combine the flours, xanthan gum, salt and water in a bowl. Mix briefly until just combined, then slowly beat in the eggs until the flour mix has absorbed it; add more flour if too sticky, or a little water if too dry.
2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly before dividing into two balls. Pat down into discs and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough pieces on a lightly floured surface into rough rectangular strips. Pass them through a pasta machine set to its widest setting.
4. Repeat until smooth, before passing them through the machine at increasingly narrow settings until the pasta sheets are approximately 2.5 mm (1/8 in) thick.
5. Hang the sheets of pasta off a cold oven handle and leave to dry for 1 hour.
6. Mix the chopped almonds with 2 tbsp whole almonds in a bowl. Stir in the chopped parsley and half the lemon zest. Cover and set aside until needed.
7. Mix together the garlic, shallots, lemon juice and remaining lemon zest with the ricotta in a mixing bowl. Add the cream and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a rectangular baking dish with olive oil.
9. Roll out the pasta dough on a work surface dusted with some flour mix. Cut out lasagne sheets to fit the baking dish and place one in the dish.
10. Top with courgette slices, some ham, the chopped almonds and ricotta cream. Place another lasagne sheet on top and continue to layer the ingredients in this way. Spread the final lasagne sheet thinly with the ricotta cream and top with the final courgette slices.
11. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and bake for around 40 minutes until golden-brown on top. Garnish with the almond, parsley and lemon zest mixture from step 6 before serving.