Place a pot with the milk over low heat and add the bay leaf and peppercorns, then discard them once it’s warm.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, and allow it to melt. Add the flour to the butter and begin whisking immediately. Whisk constantly and allow the roux to cook for about 2 minutes. This step is important, as it keeps the béchamel from tasting like flour.
Begin adding the milk to the roux, about a 1/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly and removing the pot from the heat when necessary, in order to control the temperature. The milk will thicken very quickly in the beginning. Once all the milk has been incorporated, continue whisking until the sauce has thickened and is nearly the consistency of sour cream. This step can take a while (anywhere from 15-25 minutes). It’s important not to stop whisking, or the sauce will become clumpy. Remove the béchamel from the heat and continue whisking a little bit while it cools down. Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt to taste. Set aside.
In a mortar and pestle, add the garlic and a pinch of coarse sea salt. Muddle and grind the garlic until smooth. Adding a handful of basil at a time, continue muddling and grinding until all the leaves are broken down. Repeat with the pine nuts and continue until it becomes a smooth paste. Then, mix in the olive oil and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. Add sea salt to taste, and set aside.
Fresh Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add 4 fresh noodles at a time, and cook for about 30 seconds or shortly after they rise to the surface. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to an ice bath, and then onto a clean/dry tea towel. Dab the tops of the noodles dry, and repeat until all the noodles have been cooked.
Dry Noodles: Cook pasta sheets according to package instructions. Do not use oven ready noodles for this recipe, unless you’re boiling them first. Noodles should be cooked to al dente.
Scatter the asparagus evenly in the bottom of a pan and cover with water. Salt, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the water is simmering, you can remove the lid. Once the asparagus is just tender, remove them with a slotted spoon (don’t pour out the cooking water), shock them in ice cold water, and cut them into 1/4 inch slices.
Place the peas in the simmering cooking water and allow to cook for a few minutes. Frozen peas will take slightly less time than fresh, which should take about 3-5 minutes. Once finished, strain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 450ºF, and lightly oil the bottom of a 8x12 baking dish.
NOTE: Here is a visual description of the layering process. I’ve included all 9 layers of noodles, and notes next to the layers that can be skipped. It’s helpful to divide your noodles in advance, in order to make sure you have enough for all the layers. It’s important that the first layer of noodles cover the dish precisely, but the following layers don’t need to be perfect. You can also cut your noodles, if necessary, to make them fit better or add coverage. Just make sure you’re not cutting any that you’ll need later!
1st Layer of Noodles
1/5th of Béchamel
2nd Layer of Noodles
1/4 of Pesto
1/5th of Béchamel
1/2 of the Parmesan
1/3rd of the Vegetables
1/5th of the Béchamel
3rd Layer of Noodles
1/4 of the Pesto
4th Layer of Noodles (skippable)
1/3rd of the vegetables
5th Layer of Noodles
1/4 of the Pesto
6th Layer of Noodles (skippable)
Remaining Vegetables
7th Layer of Noodles
Remaining Pesto
8th Layer of Noodles
1/5th of the Béchamel
9th Layer of Noodles
Remaining Béchamel
Remaining Parmesan
Mozzarella
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, then broil until the cheese is golden brown.
Allow to rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!