Lasagne Verdi Al Forno Recipes

LASAGNE AL FORNO

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together the beef, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into balls the size of olives. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs in small batches. Remove from the pan as they brown and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• In the same skillet, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is lightly browned. Then stir in the tomato puree and tomato paste. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Bring 6 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.
• Add the meatballs to the tomato mixture and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, liberally salt the boiling water and add the lasagna. Cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in colander.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a shallow ovenproof pan, roughly 13 by 9 by 2 inches, spread a thin layer of the sauce (no meatballs). Then spread a layer of overlapping lasagna 1 strip thick (don't let the strips run up the side of the dish). Cover that with mozzarella slices and then 5 tablespoons ricotta. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and then spread on 1/4 of the sauce and meatballs. Begin again with a layer of lasagna and continue as above until all the ingredients are used up, ending with the Parmesan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If the cheese on top hasn't melted, run under the broiler briefly. Then let the dish rest at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

LASAGNE VERDI ALLA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Saute pancetta in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until fat has rendered, 1 to 2 minutes. Add carrot, celery, onion, and oil. Cook and stir until vegetables have softened and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and pork. Cook, stirring and mashing meat into small crumbles, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes more.
• Stir wine into the stockpot and bring to a boil. Add tomato sauce and stir; pour in 1 cup broth. Reduce heat to low and partially cover the pot to allow steam to escape. Simmer sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Pour 1 more cup of broth into the sauce. Continue simmering until thick, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add more broth only if absolutely necessary; ragu should drop, not run, off a spoon.
• Start preparing pasta after sauce has been cooking for 1 1/2 hours. Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add spinach and cover until it returns to a boil. Stir gently and cook until spinach is heated through. Remove from heat, leave covered, and let cool.
• Drain spinach in a mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing it down with a fork to squeeze out as much water and possible; reserve the liquid. Puree spinach in a blender until smooth.
• Sift flour into a bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, spinach, and about 1 tablespoon of the reserved liquid. Mix together by hand or using the dough hook of a stand mixer, adding more liquid if needed. Knead until dough becomes a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Taste the ragu and adjust salt. Remove from heat and add milk; stir well and set aside to cool.
• Divide pasta dough into 4 equal sections. Use a pasta machine, or rolling pin, dusted with flour, to roll pasta into 1/16-inch thick sheets. Lay sheets on clean dish towels to help them dry. Let rest for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow it to brown or burn. Add flour and whisk constantly until golden. Add 1/2 cup milk, whisking constantly. Repeat with remaining milk. Simmer until bechamel is thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread a bit of the ragu sauce over the base of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of pasta. Top with a spoonful of sauce and bechamel. Add a spoonful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Top with another layer of pasta. Add more sauce, bechamel, and cheese. Repeat layers until you reach the top; finish with a layer of pasta, bechamel, and cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese on top has browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let lasagne rest for 10 or 15 minutes at room temperature before slicing.