homemade lasagna, worlds apart from imitations
LASAGNA. First of all the terminology. In Italian a “lasagna” is one sheet of rectangular pasta used in the famous baked pasta recipe. The correct name of the dish refers to the plural “lasagne” indicating the use of several sheets of pasta layered with delicious condiments and sauce.
This is one of those dishes that evokes dreamy eyes and remembrance of happy family Sundays. Of moments in life when everything is so good and so simple.
One the other hand this must be one of the most mistreated recipes in the kingdom of ugly culinary shortcuts. This is because making real lasagne involves work. If you are not prepared to devote some time and effort to it, please eat spaghetti!
Our cooking class guests are often surprised at how light is a good homemade lasagna. For best results it is essential to precook the pasta sheets, to use fresh mozzarella – not ricotta – and modest amounts of condiments on each layer. My friend Sandra explains it better than I do and has several pictures.
Recipe
- 1/2 kg (1 pound) fresh lasagna sheets
- 60 gr (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese grated
- 200 gr (7 ounces) good quality ham torn in small pieces
- 400 gr (14 ounces) fresh mozzarella cubed
- 200 ml/ ¾ cup Béchamel sauce (white sauce)
- 4 to 6 cups ragu‘ sauce
Precook the lasagna sheets in boiling hot salted water for 1 minute if fresh, 3 min if dry. Drain and place individual sheets on the tabletop to cool.
Build up the lasagne layers starting with a ladleful of sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof pan. Alternate pasta sheets, mozzarella, ham, Béchamel, ragu’, Parmesan. Drizzle approx. 3 tablespoon of the red sauce and 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of the white sauce on each layer. You need just a sprinkle of cheese and ham. Spread the top layer evenly with the ragu’, add 1-2 tablespoon of Béchamel and finally sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoon Parmesan.
Lasagne can be made in advance and frozen. Make sure to defrost completely before cooking as otherwise they will become soggy.
Cook in moderate oven at 200 degrees C (400 F) for 1/2 hour. Serves 6.
6 Comments
April 1, 2009 at 11:58 am
Girlfriend, when you’re right, you’re right. It IS the most misunderstood of dishes. I think in the genre of Italo-American food, our “lasagna” is a dish made to last several nights and is full (I mean full) of cheese. And no homemade lasagna noodles. We need Ronzoni noodles which have the fluted edges and can be used as a weapon in case a crime is comitted — they are that thick and hard. (the ad while I was growing up was “Ronzoni sono buoni, Ronzoni is sooooooooo good…” well, it was good, at least I thought was back then… the problem is not that Ronzoni has changed, but that I have…..)
To be honest, yours is just a whole lot sexier. Sexy, real, honest lasagna!
December 13, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Oh my, I am behind with my comments! ): I have made the pasta several times, the tiramisu, and the heavenly sausage sauce! What a HUGE difference fresh pasta makes! Yummers! The lasagna noodles were so thin, and melted in your mouth.
Everyone raved about the dishes! Thanks for such wonderful recipes. I’ll always remember my time at Letizias! Thanks for sharing! (:
December 13, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I am very very happy! Good food makes people happy, isn’t it? Lasagne makes people double happy when they are properly made. If one tries them one can never go back!
April 1, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Oooh, I like the way Diana describes this authentic lasagne, as “sexier” than North American stuff. At the very least, it’s sensual! There is something so rich and textured, yet truly light and flavourful in your recipe, Letizia.
I think what’s most helpful are your warnings to avoid “swimming” or even drowning the lasagne layers in litres of sauce and kilograms of cheese. Whenever I’ve made it here in Canada, people rave.
So now the big question is: what are we going to learn in your class this year?? How will you top this fabulous lasagne???
April 1, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Now, sexy lasagne, that’s a novel and interesting concept! Sandra, I have to admit that lasagne is very high on my list of best foods of the world. But you must wait for my cannelloni post. That’s VERY advanced sexy food. I still have a few cards in my sleeve, or so I hope.
April 1, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I’m just back from Italy, where I made my first ‘real’ lasagne… the sexy kind that Diana describes. I was very surprised at how light and clean it tastes, and how wonderful… It’s a little more work, but well worth it I think. I’m glad to find your recipe, because I didn’t write it down when I was there.
Dana