Lasagne alla Bolognese (recipe by Catuscia Palamidessi) ======= ==== ========= Ingredients for about 10 servings: one recipe of Ragu' di carne alla Bolognese (see below) one recipe of Besciamella (see below) one recipe of Pasta all'uovo (see below) 1/2 pound of parmesan cheese (better the authentic one which come as one piece, ungrated. It can be found at the Italian shop Ciao Italia (W. College av.) at the Cheese shop downtown State Collge, at the DiSalvo shop (also on W. College av.) and sometimes at Giant, in the specialty cheese section) Preparation Grate the parmisan in a food processor. In a large oven pan, put a layer of besciamella (1/4 inch). Then one layer of pasta, one layer of besciamella, meat sauce, and abundant parmigiano cheese. Repeat these layers for 4 - 5 times. Don't fill too full. Fill only to 3/4 of pan. Cook for about 40-50 minutes at 350F. Should be golden on top. Also possible to broil in final minutes to golden top. Can also mix besciamella and meat sauce together prior to assemble (except for the layer at the bottom which must be besciamella only). ____________________________________________________________________ Ragu' di carne alla Bolognese ===== == ===== ==== ========= This ragu' can also be used to make other kinds of pasta, like penne, maccheroni, spaghetti, linguine, etc. The pasta does not need to be fresh. Just cook the pasta in salty, boiling water as much as required, then add this ragu' sauce in the desired quantity. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan. Ingredients One medium-sized onion (preferably red) Parsley (preferably flat, not curly) one medium carrot celery, 6 inch 4 cloves of garlic olive oil one pound of ground beef one or two large tablets of boullion (beef) one or two cans of peeled tomatos (800 grams) a small can of tomato paste 4 cloves (optional) one or two dried bay leaves (optional) half a nutmeg grated (optional) lemon peel (optional) half a glass of dry white wine (optional) fresh basil leaves (optional) Preparation Finely chop onion, parsley, carrot, celery, and garlic. Heat in pan with olive oil until golden. Add meat and tablet(s) of boullion and brown this for about 10-15 minutes. Add also ground nutmeg, cloves, and the bay leaves if desided. Add peeled tomatoes (only the tomatoes, not the juice of the can). Cook for one or two hours covered or partly uncovered. when the tomatoes are melted with the sauce and their juice has been mostly absorbed, add the tomato paste. Add also the wine and the lemon peel if desired. Let it cook for about 20 minutes still, stearing with a wooden spoon every once in a while. At the end, add basil leaves if desired and some salt if needed. ________________________________________________________________ Fresh pasta all'uovo ===== ===== ======== The pasta used in North Italian lasagne contains eggs and can be put in lasagne without being boiled in advance. It is rare to find this pasta in American grocery shops (but sometimes you can find it. Look for Barilla). What they usually sell here is the Southern variant, without eggs. So I make it fresh. In State College there is also a pasta shop that sells fresh eggs lasagna noodles (DiSalvo, in W. College av.), and it is quite reasonable, but I personally prefer mine. Ingredients 2 and 1/2 cups of semolina flour, plus some additional flour for rolling the pasta 3 eggs 1 Tbs olive oil 2 tsp warm water 1 tsp salt Preparation Make a mound of the flour. Put hole in top of mound and add the eggs, oil, water and salt. Mix and kneed with some force and pounding until homogeneous. Make a ball, cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (Winter, just let rest at room temperature). Then cut in small pieces and roll out on a floured table using a large rolling-pin (sprinkle additional flour on the pasta if it becomes guy). Thinner is better: about a couple of mm or so. Cut in squared, large pieces. ___________________________________________________________ Besciamella =========== Ingredients 1 stick of butter 3 heaped Tbsp of flour 1/2 gallon of 2% milk salt to taste 1/2 nutmeg grated (optional) Preparation melt the butter on a large pot, on low fire. Add the flour and stear till melted. Add the milk and cook on low fire, stearing often, until it reaches boil. Do not overcook. Add salt and nutmeg if desired. ___________________________________________________________