Lasagna
The best food is tied to memories. In this case, a lasagna I ate in a farmhouse overlooking Florence, on my first (and so far, only ☹️) visit to Tuscany almost two decades ago. I've spent the years since obsessively trying to recreate it. The memory's faded a bit now, but I think the recipe below is pretty darned close.
Lasagna
The best food is tied to memories. In this case, a lasagna I ate in a farmhouse overlooking Florence, on my first (and so far, only ☹️) visit to Tuscany almost two decades ago. I've spent the years since obsessively trying to recreate it. The memory's faded a bit now, but I think the recipe below is pretty darned close.
Cooking Instructions
- 1
Add a tiny splash of olive oil to a large, high-sided pan on medium-high heat. Peel the casings off the sausages and crumble them into the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes until they're browned but not fully cooked, then add the garlic and pepper flakes. Fry another 2 or 3 minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn't brown or burn.
- 2
Stir the tomato paste into the pan and let cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the wine. Once the wine's mostly cooked off, add the passata. Season with salt and several grinds of black pepper, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Let simmer for 30 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and set aside until assembly.
- 3
Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for about 5 or 6 minutes until the roux is a light brown colour. Pour in the milk. The bechamel will seize; don't worry about it. Whisk until it smooths out and thickens a bit more than heavy cream. This will take about 10 minutes. Whisk in a small pinch of nutmeg and another of salt, then take the pot off the heat. Cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Make sure the plastic touches the surface.
- 4
Prep the fresh mozzarella by cutting it into 1/2 cm slices, then laying those on a paper-towel lined plate. Put a second layer of paper-towel on top, then a large pot on top of that to weight it down.
- 5
Put the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon juice in your food processor. Add a pinch of salt and a few tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Pulse a few times and check the consistency. Add more olive oil as needed, and continuing pulsing until you get a a smooth, slightly chunky sauce.
- 6
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Start assembly by smearing the bottom of an 18 x 24 cm baking dish with a bit of meat sauce. Lay noodles on top of that. Next, spread on more meat sauce, and cover that with a layer of spinach leaves. Pour some bechamel on top of that, then spread on another layer of noodles and repeat the sauce/spinach layers. Be sure you reserve enough meat sauce for the very top.
- 7
Once you lay in the last layer of noodles, spread your remaining meat sauce over the top. Sprinkle on the grated parmesan, and spread the mozzarella slices in a single layer around the dish. If you're using no-boil noodles as per the ingredients, pour in 3/4 cup of cold water around the pan for extra moisture. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
- 8
Pull the lasagne out and remove the foil. Put it back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to become golden and get crispy edges. Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. Top the servings with dollops of the pesto.
Cooksnaps
Did you make this recipe? Share a picture of your creation!
Similar Recipes
-
Lasagna Lasagna
I've always loved lasagna but never ate it at restaurants because it would always come out too greasy, and since I like to eat on the healthier side, I avoid it. So that's what I thought to myself let's make a healthier lasagna, less oil, healthy meat, and cheese.If you're a lasagna lover like me and enjoy a healthy Pasta meal this is the recipe you're looking for
-
Lasagna Lasagna
I learned this lasagna from my mom-in-law. She taught me how to make it. When I was in Accra City, I tried to make on my own. It was successful and She is very proud of me. Lasagna is the meal that we used to prepare often at home in Germany. It is one of the family favorite meals.Notes. Lasagna could be prepared either only with vegetables or only with meat. It is on your preference.
-
Lasagna Lasagna
Some people will prefer ricotta cheese over cottage cheese., but I prefer the cottage cheese. Lasagna is like spaghetti in the fact that individual recipes vary so much. I always say, "Try it my way and if you think it lacks something or you dont care for something in it, change it. Tweek it. Make it your own. Own it!"
-
Lasagna Lasagna
I've made this several of times. It originally was a cheese lasagna but I tweaked it a little bit. I kind of merged it with another lasagna recipe. I suggest that you double the cheese mixture just because I always run out of it before I'm done. But other than that, I hope you enjoy this recipe.
-
Lasagna Lasagna
This is my favorite lasagna recipe.Because of the long list of ingredients and steps, it might look difficult. But once you start cooking, it's actually easier than you think.Make sure to slowly prepare the white sauce over low heat.This recipe will yield quite a lot for lasagna, so use any leftovers on pasta the next day. For 3-4 servings. Recipe by Eiyoushino recipe
More Recipes
Comments (10)