Lasagna Al Forno With Fresh Pasta
Instructions
Meat Sauce
Soak the porcini in hot water until soft about 10 minutes.
Chop the carrot, onion celery, parsley and garlic very fine and place in a large enamel or heavy bottomed pot with the EVOO and over medium-low heat gently saute until golden brown.
Add the pork, beef and chicken and saute for about 15 minutes more. Be sure to break up the ground meats so no clumps form.
Clear a small patch on the bottom of the pot and add a little EVOO. In this spot add the tomato paste and stir to caramelize the paste a bit. The paste will darken and the oil will turn a golden red.
Add the wine and cook until evaporated about 15 minutes more.
Add 1 cup of broth and reduce about 15 minutes more.
Take out the cooked chicken and chop very fine and return to the pot. (If using ground chicken skip this step.)
Roughly chop the porcini mushrooms and put them and their soaking liquid in the pot (pour the liquid in slowly so that any sand stays in the bowl) add second cup of broth and reduce for 15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste and reduce until the sauce is quite thick.
Chop the prosciutto very fine and add to the pot.
Close the flame and add grated nutmeg to taste. (Its strong so dont use too much its just a background flavor.)
Let the sauce cool before making the lasagna.
Balsamella
Ingredients
Place the milk in a large pan heat until until it is very close to frothing.
While the milk is heating, in a heavy-bottomed pan over very low heat melt the butter.
When the butter starts to froth add the flour and mix well with a whisk or a wooden spoon and cook stirring frequently until it is golden brown.
Add the hot milk and whisk or stir while youre adding it.
Keep whisking or stirring in the same direction so no lumps form.
When the sauce reaches the boiling point add the salt and a bit of ground nutmeg and gently whisk or stir until the the sauce cooks slowly for about 10 minutes. The sauce should be fairly thick. Cover pot and set aside until you assemble the lasagna.
Cheese Stuffing
Ingredients
Coarsely grate the mozzarella and place in a bowl.
Add the grated Parmigiano and mix together.
Set aside until you assemble the lasagna.
Assembling the Lasagna
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heavily butter a rectangular baking dish (131/2 x 81/4 inches).
Spread a tablespoon of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Then fit in a layer of cooked pasta strips to cover the bottom and sides of the dish leaving about an inch to hang over the edge all around.
Spread the cheese mixture over the pasta layer.
Add another layer of pasta to cover only the inside of the dish.
Spread a layer of the meat sauce.
Cover the inside with another layer of pasta.
Spread a thick layer of the balsamella.
Add another layer of pasta to cover the top of the lasagna.
Fold over the over-hanging pasta onto the top of the lasagna.
Dot the top of the lasagna with a tablespoon of butter and sprinkle lightly with grated Parmigiano.
If you have extra sauces or cheese mixture build another layer.
Put the lasagna in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the top layer is lightly golden brown and crisp.
Remove the lasagna out of the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
