Lasagna
Serves 4
What to Pair With
Here’s a good recipe for a long day watching the snow fall. The bolognese alone will can take a couple of hours, but you can shortcut this with some ground beef and tomato sauce (though it won’t be as tasty), or your favorite marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Bolognese:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 onion, chopped
1 celery, chopped
1 carrots, chopped
2 lb ground meat (can be beef, pork, veal, sausage or combination)
1 cup milk
Nutmeg
1 cup white wine
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 lb pasta
Parmesan cheese
Ricotta Mixture:
3 cups whole-milk ricotta (the best brands contain only milk, salt and a starter culture)
2 cups grated parmesan, divided, saving 1/2 cup for topping
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/4 cup minced basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Place the ricotta ingredients into a food processor and process until combined.
1 pound whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
Preparation
In a pot, combine 3 tbsp butter and oil on medium heat.
Add onion and cook 3 min.
Add carrot and celery, cook 3 min.
Add beef and break it up. Cook until no longer raw.
Add the milk and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook until milk is fully absorbed.
Add the wine and cook until evaporated.
Add tomatoes and once bubbling, turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook uncovered for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
15 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
Place the noodles in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and cover with hot tap water (or boiled water) and allow to soak for 10 minutes, changing water once during soaking time. Drain in single layer on clean kitchen towels, or paper towels. Cover with second kitchen towel or paper towels and pat dry.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
You will be alternating layers of sauce, cheese and pasta.
Start with 1/6 of the sauce on the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan.
Add three sheets of pasta across the pan.
Add 1/6 of the ricotta mix, mozzarella cheese, 1/6 sauce, pasta, etc.
After the last layer of sauce, cover top with remaining parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotate pan and cook another 20 min.
Remove and let rest 10 min before slicing and serving.
Garnish with basil if desired.
Chris Chisholm is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a graduate of Boston University Wine Studies and Wine Making programs. He is also a graduate of Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver, CO. He has worked as a personal chef and chef instructor.
If you have any questions, email Chris at chris@snugharborwine.com. You can also follow Chris on Instagram @winechefchris for more delicious food photos!