Tuscan Lasagna
My third trip to Italy in December 2021, I learned how real Lasagna is supposed to taste. Unlike the American version that is made with ricotta and tons of mozzarella, Tuscan Lasagna is made with delicate layers of pasta, slow roasted ragu, béchamel, and grated pecorino romano. I call it Christmas Lasagna because it is truly a labor of love, my family loved it last year, and so a new tradition started in our family. This is a real Tuscan recipe, and if you dare to make this, then give yourself a lot of time, but I promise you….. its worth it. I actually like it set awhile after I assemble it in the refrigerator before I pop into the oven. That way the pasta is tender after baking.
You will need:
Slow roasted Ragu
Béchamel sauce
1 box Barilla no cook lasagna sheets
Container of pecorino romano
Slow Roasted Ragu:
1 lb ground veal
9 oz ground pork
2 1/2 oz ground sweet Italian sausage
6 oz chopped chicken livers ( you can omit these but it adds great flavor)
1 carrot chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
Olive oil
1 spring rosemary
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
9 oz tomato purée
Coat the bottom of a pot with olive oil. Once heated add garlic, celery and carrot. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes then add the wine. Mix well then add all of the meat breaking up with a fork. Cook until the water from the meat has evaporated, then add tomato paste, tomato purée and rosemary. Add a cup of water, stir well, cover and simmer on low for Atleast 3 to 4 hours. I cooked mine the day before, then put back on the stove the following morning, for a total of 10 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.
Béchamel:
8 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup butter
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp nutmeg
In a saucepan, bring milk to a low simmer. In a separate large frying pan, melt butter and add flour whisking fast to avoid lumps. Stir until you achieve a golden color, AKA a roux, then add hot milk, whisking as it thickens. Add salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and set aside.
Now it’s time to put it all together. Spray a 9x13 oven safe dish and start layering. Béchamel, pasta sheets, ragu, grated cheese. Repeat until you reach the top of the baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before slicing and serving.
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