crepes

Top, Green Lasagne with Tomato Sauce & Fresh Ricotta;
bottom, Lasagne Bolognese
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lasagne BOLOGNESE

serves 8–12

Traditional lasagne bolognese is made with spinach pasta but we use either spinach or plain egg pasta depending on what we have. It’s the ragù that matters.

1 pound Spinach Pasta or Fresh Pasta
Salt
2 tablespoons butter
4–5 cups warm Ragù Bolognese
1¼ cups grated parmigiano-reggiano
4 cups warm Balsamella

 

Cook the pasta, 1–2 sheets at a time, in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 30 seconds. Carefully transfer the pasta to a bowl of ice water to cool. Lay the sheets of cooked pasta out on clean, damp kitchen towels in a single layer without touching. Cover with more damp kitchen towels.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a deep 9 × 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Cover the bottom with a layer of pasta, trimming the sheets to fit and patching, if necessary. Spread evenly with 1½ cups of the ragù, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of the parmigiano. Add another layer of pasta, cover it with 1½ cups of the balsamella, then sprinkle with more parmigiano. Repeat layers again. Add the final layer of pasta, cover it with the remaining ragù, then with the remaining balsamella, and sprinkle the last bit of parmigiano on top.

Bake lasagne until it is bubbling around the edges and browned on top, about 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Let lasagne rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

 

[ you can find this recipe in Canal House Cooking Volume N° 7, La Dolce Vita ]