True Taste of Italy

lasagna

Beware, this authentic lasagna recipe is so delicious, you will find yourself licking the plate clean to savor every last morsel. The secret inside is the ultra-creamy besciamella sauce.  It makes the lasagna just melt in your mouth.    We make this recipe quite often, but mamma has it completely perfected.  When she comes to visit, she knows that lasagna must be on the menu at some point during her visit.

There are 3 steps to making this authentic lasagna recipe.  The first is making the Ragú or basic meat sauce.  This is the base of the lasagna and must be made first as it takes time to simmer and develop it’s full flavor.

Ingredients for Ragú (Basic Meat Sauce):

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your pot)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 rib of celery, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds mixture of lean ground beef and ground turkey
• salt and pepper and taste
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 2 cans (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions for Ragú (Basic Meat Sauce):

• In a large pot, over medium heat, add olive oil.  Then add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery.  Sauté until onions are translucent and vegetables have softened.
• Add meat and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook meat until brown.  Add white wine and cook until wine has been absorbed into the meat.
• Add tomatoes and sugar.   Mix thoroughly.  Reduce heat to low and simmer about 2 hours.

When the sauce is finished cooking, you will want to prepare the Besciamella sauce for this authentic lasagna recipe.  The measurements are really approximations.  Some people prefer a thinner consistency and others prefer a thicker consistency.  If you find the sauce is too thin, add more flour to thicken it up.  If you find the sauce is too thick, add more milk to thin it out.  The key is to continue to stir the entire time to keep the sauce from becoming too lumpy.  Personal taste will also dictate the use of nutmeg.  My husband does not use the nutmeg when he makes Besciamella, but it can definitely be added for a more distinct taste.

Ingredients for Besciamella sauce:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups milk (whole milk is best)
• salt to taste
• pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Directions for Besciamella sauce:

• In a saucepan, over low heat, melt stick of butter.
• Add flour while stirring.
• Slowly pour milk and continue to stir.  (Do NOT stop stirring the sauce or besciamella will become lumpy.)
• Add salt and pepper to taste and optional nutmeg.  Set aside.

Now it is time for the best part of this authentic lasagna recipe, assembling the lasagna.  Our current recipe calls for pasta from the box.  The traditional way to make lasagna involves making your own pasta dough, which is not difficult, but it is very time consuming.  When mamma visits, she does make her own lasagna pasta from scratch.  However, we find that the taste is similar enough when using pasta from the box.  We will have a recipe posted shortly that will explain how to make your own pasta from scratch, that way, if you choose, you can make this recipe in the most traditional way.

When searching for pasta to use in this recipe, there are 2 kinds:  Boil and No-boil.  The No-boil type of lasagna pasta is designed to be used uncooked in the recipe until the lasagna is baked in the oven.  The Boil type of lasagna pasta is supposed to be boiled prior to using in the recipe.  Either way, the outcome is very similar.  At times, we have used the No-boil and still boiled the pasta before assembling the lasagna and baking it.  We have found no significant difference in texture or taste, so it is up to you to decide what works best for you.

Ingredients for Lasagna:

• Basic Meat Sauce
• Besciamella sauce
• 2-3  (9 ounce) boxes lasagna noodles
• 6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (can use more or less depending on preference)
• 1 cup grated parmigiano cheese (can use more or less depending on preference)

Directions for Lasagna:

• Preheat oven to 400° F (204° C).
• In 9 X 13 inch dish, assemble lasagna in alternating layers.  Begin with a layer of Ragú sauce, then a layer of pasta, followed by more Ragú sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmigiano, and besciamella.
• Continue layers until dish is full, but not overflowing.  Top layer should consist of sauce, mozzarella, parmigiano, and besciamella.
• Place in oven and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

This authentic lasagna recipe will serve 4 to 6.