Lasagna – with NO RICOTTA (feeds 12 adults or 5 farmers)
Once you learn it will take you about 3.5 hrs (the time for the red sauce to cook). The first time it may be a 4 to 5 hrs process – but if you like to cook, it is a great week-end recipe with lots of leftovers for the entire week.
Once you learn it will take you about 3.5 hrs (the time for the red sauce to cook). The first time it may be a 4 to 5 hrs process – but if you like to cook, it is a great week-end recipe with lots of leftovers for the entire week.
Ingredients
DOUGH
barilla or dececco lasagna noodles
OR, if you want to make it from scratch:
* 2 eggs + 1 yoke,
* 200 gr flour = 1 and ½ cup
RED SAUCE
see the recepie for “Meat Spaghetti Sauce (using pork) - Come Dio Comanda”. Ingredients:
* 1 Lb Agricola Farm Fresh Sausages (of course). if you choose a different sausage or round pork you will need to add other spices not listed here.
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 yellow onion
10 or 12 small basil leaves from the tip of the plant and 1 full basil tip (about 4 or 5 leaves all together
* 8 medium-sized fresh tomatoes from your garden or from the Farmer’s Market. Choose meaty ones and medium sized – stay away from large ones
– bigger is not better. If not in season, buy 1 can of crushed tomatoes (simple ones, do not buy those with basil or other stuff). Note: absolutely do NOT try this recipe with tomatoes bought at a grocery store
* 3 Portobello mushroom hats (if you like mushrooms, otherwise skip)
* 2 spoons extra virgin olive oil (choose the darkest one in the store)
* 4 oz of good chianti
BESCIAMELLA
* 1 L milk ( 4 and ¼ cups)
* 100 gr butter (slightly less than 1 stick – 1 stick = 113gr)
* 100 gr or flour (slightly more than ¾ cups)
* nutmeg
*salt
* pepper
CHEESE
The only cheese you will need is pecorino and grana padano, 1 small chunk each
barilla or dececco lasagna noodles
OR, if you want to make it from scratch:
* 2 eggs + 1 yoke,
* 200 gr flour = 1 and ½ cup
RED SAUCE
see the recepie for “Meat Spaghetti Sauce (using pork) - Come Dio Comanda”. Ingredients:
* 1 Lb Agricola Farm Fresh Sausages (of course). if you choose a different sausage or round pork you will need to add other spices not listed here.
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 yellow onion
10 or 12 small basil leaves from the tip of the plant and 1 full basil tip (about 4 or 5 leaves all together
* 8 medium-sized fresh tomatoes from your garden or from the Farmer’s Market. Choose meaty ones and medium sized – stay away from large ones
– bigger is not better. If not in season, buy 1 can of crushed tomatoes (simple ones, do not buy those with basil or other stuff). Note: absolutely do NOT try this recipe with tomatoes bought at a grocery store
* 3 Portobello mushroom hats (if you like mushrooms, otherwise skip)
* 2 spoons extra virgin olive oil (choose the darkest one in the store)
* 4 oz of good chianti
BESCIAMELLA
* 1 L milk ( 4 and ¼ cups)
* 100 gr butter (slightly less than 1 stick – 1 stick = 113gr)
* 100 gr or flour (slightly more than ¾ cups)
* nutmeg
*salt
* pepper
CHEESE
The only cheese you will need is pecorino and grana padano, 1 small chunk each
Preparation
1) First make the red sauce following the instructions in our meat sauce recipe. Allow the sauce to cook for at least 1 hr but if you want a better result let it cook for 3 to 4 hours.
2) While the sauce is cooking make the dough for your noodles (if you got the store bought noodles you can skip this). Mix the eggs with the flour in a bowl usil a fork. Start working the dough into a ball (your goal is to make the dough stick together). Let it rest under a bowl or a pot (preventing the air from drying it) for 10 minutes. This will allow the gluten to work through and make it easier to kneat. Knit the dough by bushing the dough with the heal of your hand. First push down and then away. You are stretching the dough to help the gluten develop and make your dough elastic. It will take you at least 4 minutes to make a smooth dough. It needs to be elastic and the ball with bounce back when you poke it gently with a finger. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest for 1 hr before rolling it. It can rest in a cool place or in the fridge. Cut in 3 pieces and make 3 balls. Cover 2 and either use a pasta machine to crank out the sheets or use a rolling pin. With a rolling pin: sprinkle flour on the counter. Use you hands (dipped into flour) to flatten the small ball into an oval. Place the rolling pin in the middle and roll the dough vigorously 2 to 3 times away from you. Turn the dough 180 degree so that now you can repeat the same operation and make a long sheet. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin sprinkle more flour. Repeat until it is as thin as a paper envelope. You can control the shape by rotating the dough. Always roll from the middle to the edges. Try to make the dough the size of the baking tray for the lasagna. You can revise the size by foling the dough onto itself or cutting it. Be aware that the more flour you sprinkle on top the less likely the dough will stick to itslef when you are folding it to modify the shape. Once done. Cover it with a sheet of plastic and let it rest. *** you do not need to precook this dough.
3) About 30 minutes from the end of the red sauce preparation, start making the besciamella:
Bring the milk to a soft boil and continue to mix it to prevent the skin to form on top. In the meantime, place the butter in a tall pot (this will need to contain the milk later) and use a gentle heat to melt. Once melted, add the flour, all at once, and vigorously mix with a hand wisk. It needs to become a yellow, golden paste (if you cook it too much it will brown and the taste will be off). Add a glass of the hot milk and incorporate in the mix. Add a second glass of the hot milk and incorporate. Continue until it is the sonsistnecy of pudding and then you can add the rest of the hot milk all at once but continue mixing (you go slowly at first to avoid creating chuncks – if you get chunks you can either ignore them if they are small or you can strain them later). Add salt, a couple of shaves of nutmeg and a sprinkle of black pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes continuing to mix. Assess the density of your besciamella. It needs to be the consistency of pudding (if it only coats the back of a spoon it is too liquid). If you are done, remove from the stove and place on the side. If it is too liquid continue cooking for few more minutes.
4) if you are using dry noodles bought at the store, boil some water in a large pot (¾ full) and add a health handfull or salt (the water needs to taste like the sea. Prepare on the side a deep baking tray with cold water. Toss in the noodles and remove them once they become flexible. Place the cooked noodles into the cold water. Now hurry up, you do not want the noodles to sit in water too long
5) Time to assemble the lasagna, you are basically done! Prepare your working area so that you have your noodles (if you used the store bought ones, leave the noodles soaking in the water), then the pot with the red sauce with a spoon with holes, then your besciamella with a large spoon and finally a bowl with your grated parmigiano and your pecorino romano. Coat your deep baking tray with butter and then alternate:
* a layer of noodles (if they are in water, gently pick a noodle and remove the water with your fingers before placing them in the tray)
* then a layer of red sauce (use the slotted spoon and try to leave any juice back in the pot. Coat the entire noodle, if there is an exposed area it will dry out).
* then a layer of besciamella (add a couple of spoon full, then use the back of the spoon to spread around. Do not put too much. A thin layer will go a long way. It is a rich sauce.
* finally a thin layer of grated cheese.
Repeat at least 3 times (however; any Italian grandma would do 4 to 5!)
6) place in the oven at 425 F for 30 minutes. Take out and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it and serving. * Lasagna is even better the day after, so do not worry if you have leftovers!
2) While the sauce is cooking make the dough for your noodles (if you got the store bought noodles you can skip this). Mix the eggs with the flour in a bowl usil a fork. Start working the dough into a ball (your goal is to make the dough stick together). Let it rest under a bowl or a pot (preventing the air from drying it) for 10 minutes. This will allow the gluten to work through and make it easier to kneat. Knit the dough by bushing the dough with the heal of your hand. First push down and then away. You are stretching the dough to help the gluten develop and make your dough elastic. It will take you at least 4 minutes to make a smooth dough. It needs to be elastic and the ball with bounce back when you poke it gently with a finger. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest for 1 hr before rolling it. It can rest in a cool place or in the fridge. Cut in 3 pieces and make 3 balls. Cover 2 and either use a pasta machine to crank out the sheets or use a rolling pin. With a rolling pin: sprinkle flour on the counter. Use you hands (dipped into flour) to flatten the small ball into an oval. Place the rolling pin in the middle and roll the dough vigorously 2 to 3 times away from you. Turn the dough 180 degree so that now you can repeat the same operation and make a long sheet. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin sprinkle more flour. Repeat until it is as thin as a paper envelope. You can control the shape by rotating the dough. Always roll from the middle to the edges. Try to make the dough the size of the baking tray for the lasagna. You can revise the size by foling the dough onto itself or cutting it. Be aware that the more flour you sprinkle on top the less likely the dough will stick to itslef when you are folding it to modify the shape. Once done. Cover it with a sheet of plastic and let it rest. *** you do not need to precook this dough.
3) About 30 minutes from the end of the red sauce preparation, start making the besciamella:
Bring the milk to a soft boil and continue to mix it to prevent the skin to form on top. In the meantime, place the butter in a tall pot (this will need to contain the milk later) and use a gentle heat to melt. Once melted, add the flour, all at once, and vigorously mix with a hand wisk. It needs to become a yellow, golden paste (if you cook it too much it will brown and the taste will be off). Add a glass of the hot milk and incorporate in the mix. Add a second glass of the hot milk and incorporate. Continue until it is the sonsistnecy of pudding and then you can add the rest of the hot milk all at once but continue mixing (you go slowly at first to avoid creating chuncks – if you get chunks you can either ignore them if they are small or you can strain them later). Add salt, a couple of shaves of nutmeg and a sprinkle of black pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes continuing to mix. Assess the density of your besciamella. It needs to be the consistency of pudding (if it only coats the back of a spoon it is too liquid). If you are done, remove from the stove and place on the side. If it is too liquid continue cooking for few more minutes.
4) if you are using dry noodles bought at the store, boil some water in a large pot (¾ full) and add a health handfull or salt (the water needs to taste like the sea. Prepare on the side a deep baking tray with cold water. Toss in the noodles and remove them once they become flexible. Place the cooked noodles into the cold water. Now hurry up, you do not want the noodles to sit in water too long
5) Time to assemble the lasagna, you are basically done! Prepare your working area so that you have your noodles (if you used the store bought ones, leave the noodles soaking in the water), then the pot with the red sauce with a spoon with holes, then your besciamella with a large spoon and finally a bowl with your grated parmigiano and your pecorino romano. Coat your deep baking tray with butter and then alternate:
* a layer of noodles (if they are in water, gently pick a noodle and remove the water with your fingers before placing them in the tray)
* then a layer of red sauce (use the slotted spoon and try to leave any juice back in the pot. Coat the entire noodle, if there is an exposed area it will dry out).
* then a layer of besciamella (add a couple of spoon full, then use the back of the spoon to spread around. Do not put too much. A thin layer will go a long way. It is a rich sauce.
* finally a thin layer of grated cheese.
Repeat at least 3 times (however; any Italian grandma would do 4 to 5!)
6) place in the oven at 425 F for 30 minutes. Take out and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it and serving. * Lasagna is even better the day after, so do not worry if you have leftovers!
A NOTE ON PARMIGIANO and why not Parmesan
Because they are not the same thing. Parmigiano is a highly controlled product from a very specific region in Italy (Parma is a town in Emilia Romagna): the milk needs to come from cows fed a specific diet, the size of the wheals need to be just so, the wheals need to be aged a specific amount of time and each wheal is checks for quality – they do a sound and taste test on each. There is one person per company who is responsible for checking each wheal: that is their full time job and many have been doing this same job for 30+ years. The cheese is aged in rooms with open slots that are angled specifically to filter in the wind coming from the sea and going through the pine forests so that it brings the right level of humidty and aromas that promote the right aging. People outside this region have tried to reproduce this process in their steril environments and, most importantly, have tried to cut corners and reduce the costs of feeding the cows the right way or the time for aging (by reducing the size of the wheals). Producers outside of Emilia Romagna are not legally allowed to call their cheese Parmigiano, and that is why some clever marketing firm came up with the name “Parmesan,” trying to trick consumers to think it is the same thing. It is not.
