There are many mysteries that I've never solved in life:
Why won't California drivers turn on their lights when it rains?
What won't Hall & Oates go for?
If Meatloaf will do *anything* for love, what won't he do?
Why did J.J. Abrams promise that the Lost characters weren't in purgatory?
And, now, why did I choose a recipe for this week that requires not one, not two, but four separately made components and took me 2 days to make (in toddler time)?
After seeing me rewatch Under the Tuscan Sun for the bazillionth time at their house, my mother-in-law gifted me The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. It's full of beautiful photos and conversational little notes. I've always wanted to make a "Sunday Ragu" just like in that scene in Goodfellas. Here, it's put to use in a bechamel (or to stay authentico, "besciamella") lasagne.
Ingredients:
Soffrito:
1/4 c. olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 handful of flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
[I added garlic, because of my Paulie type tendencies! Four cloves, because two seemed like the ravings of a lunatic]
Besciamella (Double for the Lasagne):
2 TB butter
2 TB flour
1 c. whole milk
A few gratings of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Ragu:
3 TB olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef [I used 93/7]
1 lb ground pork
2 Italian sausages, casings removed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
1-2 c. red wine
Soffrito
2 TB tomato paste
16-20 tomatoes or 2 28oz cans whole tomatoes, juice included, chopped
Lasagne:
3 c. Ragu
2 c. Besciamella
1lb dried Lasagne noodles [I used Barilla no-boil]
1/2 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 c. (8oz) shredded mozzarella
1/2 c. coarse fresh breadcrumbs, toasted [I used panko and made garlic bread out of the baguette I bought]
2 TB olive oil
I made the ragu the day before - taking seriously it's common name, "Sunday Ragu."
Saute soffrito ingredients together until they soften and start to color - 5-7 minutes.
In another large pan, pour 3 TB olive oil and add meat. Over medium-high heat, brown and break up the meats - about 10 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, and 1 cup of the red wine. After the wine has "cooked into the meat" for 10 minutes, add the soffrito, the tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a quiet simmer. Partially cover and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining cup of wine.
When ready to assemble/bake the lasagne, make the besciamella sauce, as it will be most spreadable fresh.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the flour. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until it forms a paste and is very slightly browned. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk all at once. Return to medium-low heat, stirring until thickened - about 5 minutes (it should thickly coat the back of a spoon). Add nutmeg and salt. Remove from heat.
Assembly of the lasagne is where the magic happens. The book says to preheat to 350F, I went for 375F (and 400F for the last 5) because I was on dwindling toddler time.
If your fresh pasta requires cooking - cook 2 sheets at a time in salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then dip in a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. If any tear, they can be used in the middle layers. Spread the sheets on a dishtowel. I used Barilla no-boil so this wasn't necessary.
Oil a 9x13 pan. Spoon a little ragu on the bottom, followed by a layer of pasta, then besciamella (about a 1/3 c.), then parmigiano, then mozzarella. Pace the amounts for five layers - ragu (about a 1/2 c.), besciamella, parm, then mozzarella. End with a layer of pasta. Dab the top with ragu, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and dot with olive oil.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and the top looks toasty.
There's nothing like an oozy, gooey meal on a cold night. Of course, when your husband decides he is a cheese hater, you have the "joy" of making him his own sad, cheeseless lasagna (and use Lactaid milk for the bechamel). He enjoyed his, I had seconds, my daughter was another story. She picked all the meat sauce off the noodles, then made a play for the cold leftover sauce - eating it right off the spoon. Next time, I'd bite the bullet and make fresh pasta sheets, adding yet another component to the mix. I'd also toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil, rather than doing a drizzle at the end.
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