Nona Elviras Lasagna Verde Recipes

LASAGNA NONNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the butternut squash in half and spoon out the seeds. Place on baking sheet cut-side down. Add some water and bake until a knife slides through the skin and squash easily. Cool and then spoon the flesh from the shell. Set aside for later use.
• Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
• Place the ricotta, cream, garlic, shallots, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes in a medium-size mixing bowl. Whisk to combine until there are no lumps.
• Mince up the sage and add to the ricotta mix. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk until blended and set aside for later use.
• Take 1 cup of the marinara and evenly coat bottom of each pan. Next lay a sheet of pasta down in each. Spread some of the ricotta mixture on each sheet and top with 3 cups of baby spinach.
• Add another sheet of pasta, then some more ricotta and spread half of the butternut squash, mashing up any larger pieces, over each lasagna.
• Then add another layer of pasta on each. Top with the remaining ricotta mixture and 3 cups of baby spinach on each. Add the last layer of pasta and pour the remaining marinara on top. Finish with the Parmesan and then the mozzarella.
• Wrap each with parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Bake until cooked through, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool, then cut and serve.

NONNA'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• To make the pasta, follow the directions for Homemade Egg Pasta. After rolling, cut into 12 inch long strips, then precook in boiling water for 30 seconds and place in ice water.
• Dry and set aside on clean kitchen towels.
• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and once hot add the pork bones over medium heat and cook until well browned. Add the onion and continue cooking until it is tender. Add the garlic and stir well, cooking an additional minute. Finally add the puree, paste and 1 cup of water.
• Next add the oregano, 1/2 cup of the parsley, the basil, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Taking the ground beef (or beef/veal mix), and add the egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 parsley, 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese and salt and pepper. Add the milk to the bread cubes and soak. Once the bread is soft use your fingers to break it up and then add it to the meat mixture. Mix all the ingredients together well with your hands, and then roll into small 1 inch sized meatballs and drop carefully in the sauce.
• Continue cooking the sauce for about 2 hours over low heat, adding additional water as needed if the sauce becomes too thick.
• Remove the meatballs and the pork bones from the sauce with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl when the sauce is complete.
• To assemble the lasagne, add about 1/2 cup of sauce to the bottom of a large lasagne pan, then add a little water and mix.Make an overlapping layer of the noodles across the bottom of the pan. Spread a large spoonful of sauce on top, making sure the noodles are well covered. Add one more layer of noodles and sauce, and then add a layer of the mozzarella slices. Continue in this manner until you have 5 layers.
• On the top, cover the noodles well with the sauce, place another layer of mozzarella, then sprinkle on the parmesan. To finish, evenly place the meatballs across the top surface.
• Cover with foil, and bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes. Let rest an additional 10 minutes before serving.

NONA ELVIRA'S LASAGNA VERDE

Steps:

• For Ragu: Melt butter in large saucepan over mediu-high heat. Add carrots celery, and onion. Cook until soft, stirring often about 8 minutes. Add beef, veal and chicken livers. Cook until meats are cooked through, stirring often and breaking up lumps with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Whisk 2 cups water and tomato paste in small bowl. Add to meat mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Add wine. Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium. simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made ahead. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep refrigerated.) For Bechamel: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually whisk in milk, then truffle (if using); whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. (Can be made one day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep refrigerated.) For Lasagna: Preheat oven to 400. Cook lasagna noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; rinse under cold running water. Pat noodles dry. Butter bottom and sides of 15×10x2 glass baking dish. cover bottom of dish with noodles. Spread 1/2 cup of bechamel over noodles. Spread one cup ragu over bechamel. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. Parmesan. Repeat 3 more times noodles, bechamel, ragu and cheese. Top with layer of noodles, spread remaining bechamel over, and sprinkle with 1/4 c. cheese. Drizzle with melted butter. Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated. Bake lasagna until bubbling at edges and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, pour enough olive oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 375. Working in small batches, place spinach leaves in hot oil (will splatter). Fry spinach leaves 20 seconds. Using slotted spoon transfer fried spinach to paper towels. Garnish lasagna with fried spinach.