Directions

1. Build a fire on a wood rack in the center of the Alfa 4 Pizze Wood Fired Oven. When the fire has burned down to coals, move the rack off to the side of the oven and sweep the debris on the deck under the fire. Stabilize the temperature around 450ºF (temp gauge on opposite side of fire), and continue feeding the fire with small splits of wood to maintain that temperature.
2. Remove the backbone of the chicken with poultry shears. Press the bird flat. Loosen the skin from the meat, without removing the skin. Spread a couple of tablespoons of pesto over the breast and leg meat. Season under the skin with Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning. Place the bird, skin side up, in a Finex 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Cover with a lid. Place inside the wood fired oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF in the breasts, about one hour. Shred the meat of the chicken by hand and discard the bones. Toss the meat in the juices collected in the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.

3. To make the pesto mornay sauce, place the extra virgin olive oil and butter in a Finex Dutch Oven over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the shallots, garlic and Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent and softened. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 60-90 seconds. Slowly whisk in the half and half. Bring to a simmer and water the sauce thicken. Add the cheeses, a handful at a time, whisking constantly to melt. When all cheeses are incorporated, stir in the pesto. Remove from the heat.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Start by placing a heaping cup of the pesto mornay sauce in the bottom of a Lodge Cast Iron Casserole Dish. Spread in an even layer to cover the bottom of the dish. Lay out strips of the oven ready lasagna over the sauce, to cover the entire surface. This is start of one of three layers. Place another heaping cup of the sauce over the pasta and spread evenly. Top with 1/3 of your shredded chicken and 1/3 of your spinach. Distribute evenly. Cover with six sliced of low moisture mozzarella cheese. Repeat this two more times - pasta, sauce, chicken, spinach then mozzarella. For the top layer, cover the surface with the lasagna pasta (a forth layer). Cover the pasta with more pesto mornay sauce. Spray a sheet of foil with pan spray and cover the lasagna.
5. Bake the lasagna in the wood fired oven, maintaining the temperature of the oven around 400ºF, until the pasta feels tender when probed with a toothpick. For additional reference, the internal temperature will likely be over 170ºF. This should take about 90 minutes.
6. Remove the foil from the lasagna. Place nine slices of provolone cheese over the top of the lasagna. Return to the oven and let cook just until the cheese is browned and bubbling on top, about 10 minutes.
7. Remove the lasagna from the wood fired oven. Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve topped with minced parsley.