Lasagna

Lasagna
Lasagna is one of those dishes that is much harder than it seems unless of course you buy everything pre-made.  I decided to embark on making the sauce first.  I made bechamel sauce too because I didn't have enough cheese.  Basically I made a lasagna aka kitchen sink.

Sauce:

2 Spanish onions chopped

3 large carrots chopped

Spice sack of bay leaves, thyme and oregano

1 cup of red wine

1/2 lb chopped pancetta

1/4 lb chopped proscuitto

1/4 lb ground pork

1/4 lb ground beef

1/4 lb ground veal

2 large cans chopped tomatoes

1 can cherry tomatoes (so not necessary)

1 cup beef stock

1/4 cup sugar

Saute the onions and carrots until soft.  Add 1/2 cup red wine and boil down.  Add in all the meats and stir over medium high heat until everything is browned.  Add in the spice sack.  Add in the crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 cup beef stock, sugar…and about 2 tsp. kosher salt.  Bring to a boil and then down to simmer.  let this sit on the stove for a few hours partically covered.

Bechamel Sauce

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. flour

1 1/4 cup warm milk

salt

On medium high heat whisk together the butter and the flour until browned.  About 2 minutes at most.  Whisk in the hot milk and crank up the heat until high and the mixture should get thick pertty quickly.  Add in salt for taste.  Set aside.

1 big ball fresh mozzarella

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan

I was at Eataly in the morning and picked up some lasagna strips that were made in the morning.  I put the sauce on the bottom of the pan and then laid lasagna pieces over the top.  Layer the sliced mozz over this and then cover with sprinkled Parmesan cheese.  Add another layer of pasta and repeat.  I didn't have enough mozz for another round so I used the bechamel sauce instead.  Then another layer of pasta and covered the top with bechamel sauce and Parmesan. 

Would have loved to have ricotta but kitchen sinks work too. 

Comments (Archived):

  1. kirklove

    Damn. Well done.

    1. Gotham Gal

      i am taking that as a serious compliment.

  2. Rohan

    You guys have your exercise regime pretty cut out after this..

  3. rebeccastees

    oh, yum.and your photo is great too.

  4. John Revay

    Always like looking at what’s cooking.  Enjoy!

  5. andyidsinga

    omg that looks good . I can practically smell it over the internets.Wife makes really good lasagna – will share this with her. She’s been wanting a pasta attachment for the kitchen aid …I wonder if it will do lasagna.(PS. when my wife makes lasagna, if I remember correctly, I think she makes the sauce and assembles everything and then puts it in the fridge for a day or two ..anyhow it turns out great.)

    1. Lori

      No, honey.  It does not sit in the fridge for 2 days.   None of you can wait that long to eat it!   It’s all done fresh/from scratch, in the oven right away.   🙂

      1. andyidsinga

        doh – im confused dont know why i thought that 🙂

      2. Gotham Gal

        ha. you are absolutely right. my son was totally bummed that he couldn’t eat it when the lasagna came out of the oven because i was saving it for the next night.

  6. RichardF

    I made lasagna over the weekend, I’ve only just started making my own pasta, I tried a Jamie Oliver recipe which uses crème fraîche, which was a pretty good replacement if you don’t want make bechamel.

    1. Gotham Gal

      nice call. i have made pasta just a few times. we are so spoiled here that you can buy a beautiful bag of freshly made pasta for a few dollars so i end up just doing that.

  7. andyidsinga

    My wife is making this recipe today – can’t wait! 🙂