Lasagne Verdi al Forno – Daring Bakers Challenge

Lasagna Verdi
Lasagne Verdi al Forno – thin but tasty

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge. This is what the hosts have to say about lasagna: “Lasagne is a dish that has successfully transcended borders and is today made around the world, albeit with many variations from the Italian original. Even within Italy, there are many variations and each region has its own lasagne tradition. But, as Lynne explains in her introduction to the recipe –and Enza, as our Italian expert for this dish, also agrees – the dish should always be a “vivid expression of the ‘less is more’ philosophy of cooking. Mere films of béchamel sauce and meat ragu coat the sheerest spinach pasta. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dusts each layer. There is nothing more; no ricotta, no piling on of meats, vegetables or cheese; little tomato, and no hot spice. Baking performs the final marriage of flavours. The results are splendid.”

I truly enjoyed this month’s challenge – yes, it was challenging, but the result was well worth the effort. The family loved it and I promised them to make it over and over again. In the meantime, here are some of the things I did and experienced along the way, in no particular order:

– I used Bolognese sauce from a different book.
– I think I chose a very  large baking dish for my lasagna and ended up with only three layers of dough – as a result my lasagna was looking pretty skinny when it was baked – the picture above says it all, doesn’t it:) It was the thinest lasagna I’ve ever eaten, yet it was delicious.
– I didn’t use any spoons or scrapers when making the dough – I used my best kitchen tool – hands. They worked great:)
–  I think I could have doubled the amount of bechamel and meat sauce in-between the layers – my lasagne was a bit on the dry side and cried for more filling, although the pasta sheets were cooked.

Thank you, Mary, Melinda and Enza for such a great DB choice!

LASAGNE VERDI AL FORNO
From The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Serve 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu  and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if  it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

  • 4  tablespoons (2 oz / 60 g) unsalted butter
  • 4  tablespoons (2 oz / 60 g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
  • 2 & 2/3 cups (approx 570 ml) milk
  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes.

Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season witih salt, pepper and a hint of nutmeg.

# 3 Bolognese Meat Sauce #2 Bechamel

Adapted from The Best Ever Italian Cookbook by Carla Capalbo

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, peeled and chopped
  • 2 gloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 pound (450 g) ground beef
  • salt, to taste
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 X 14 oz can plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the carrot, celery and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes more.

Add the beef, and crumble it into the vegetables with a fork. Cook until the meat is browned , about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour in the wine, milk and tomatoes. Toss in the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.

23 Comments

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  1. Farida :
    Good to have you back. Looks wonderful!

  2. Great job Farida! Unfortunately, I was unable to participate this month 🙁 But the recipe is saved and will be made soon 🙂

  3. That looks delicious. It was fun making the pasta and then after that it was soooooo easy. Best ever.

  4. dont worry about the look,,,,,,,,,,it looks great and I bet the flavours in the kitchen was killer good.. and sure your enjoyed a good meal… looks great….

  5. Your lasagne looks good, as I knew it would.:)

  6. wow….that is just beautiful!

  7. Great job as always Farida. Gorgeous photo too of the plated up lasagne too. I loved this challenge and ended up taking it down a different route to the intended.

  8. Your lasagne look very delicious! well done! beautiful blog..

  9. my favorite!!!

  10. thatz a very beautiful looking Lasagne ..

  11. What a beautiful colored pasta! I love the pictures of you making it!

  12. Your photographs and recipes are always inspiring.

  13. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR LOVELY COMMENTS!

  14. I have always bought store bought Lasagne sheets and never thought of rolling the dough and cutting it to make the sheets. I thought I would have to buy the pasta maker to make the sheets. But this is very inspiring and sometimes with all the gadgets that are available we forget to use the best gadget everyone owns – our hands.

    Have to try this one and impress everybody. Including spinach is lovely too.

  15. Very well done! Your lasagne look delicious and so beautiful!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  16. making it from scratch? that’s a feat!! 🙂 well done. it’s a beauty x

  17. Oh, it’s beautiful! Nice job!

  18. Yum!
    Fari, I particularly love the bright green color of the spinach pasta.
    And, a thin or towering lasagne is always welcomed at my house.
    Another DB challenge I missed out on. Sigh.

  19. This lasagna looks great you are a brave soul to make your own noodles.

  20. This really looks so delicious and lasagna is such a great conmfort food 😀

  21. Oh you did it, too! Don’t you just love the vibrant green dough??? 🙂

  22. Farida, your lasagna looks delish. I was inspired by all of you Daring Bakers who made this..I made my own last week,

  23. Hey,

    What an excellent site. I’m just about to spend some time out in Baku with work so have found this whole site really interesting. The lasagne looks amazing and the photo’s are excellence. I will certainly be linking to your site.

    Excellent stuff.
    Andrew

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