Lasagna Bolognese

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Becky for sharing this one with us:

One day during cooking class, our teacher, Mrs. Jones, was extolling her
secrets for preparing perfect sauces. When she ordered us to the stoves
to prepare our assignments, she said, "Don't forget to use wooden spoons."

As I stirred my sauce, I contemplated the physics behind the mystery of
the wooden spoon and decided it must have something to do with heat
conduction. I approached Mrs. Jones to test my theory. "Why wooden spoons?" I asked.

"Because," she replied, "if I have to sit here listening to all your
metal spoons banging against metal pots, I'd go nuts."

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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My American readers are familiar with the Neapolitan style of lasagna
with its thick tomato sauce. This is the classic lasagna of Bologna in
northern Italy, and the pairing of the Bolognese sauce and the creamy
béchamel make it one of the best lasagna recipes ever.

Lasagna Bolognese

16 oz (450 g) lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 Béchamel sauce recipe (see below)
1 Bolognese sauce recipe (see below)
1 cup (250 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Spread some béchamel on the bottom of a large baking pan. Top with a
layer of pasta sheets. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on top of the
pasta, top with a layer of béchamel, evenly sprinkle on some grated
Parmesan cheese and top with another single layer of pasta. Do this
layering process until all of the ingredients have been used and making
sure that the top layer is béchamel sauce with Parmesan sprinkled on.
Place in a preheated 375F (190C) oven and bake for 45 minutes until the
top has begun to brown and the edges are crispy.
Serves 8 to 10.

Béchamel Sauce

3 cups (750 ml) milk
6 Tbs (90 ml) butter
6 Tbs (90 ml) all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Gently heat the milk over a low flame but do not boil. While the milk is
heating put the butter into a sauce pot and slowly melt over low heat.
When the butter is melted whisk in the flour gradually to avoid lumps
and gently cook this roux. Using a wire whisk, very slowly begin to pour
the hot milk into the roux a little at a time. Avoid lumps by going very
slowly. When all the milk has been added, add the seasoning, turn the
heat very low and cook for 20 minutes. When finished allow to cool
somewhat before using in the lasagna recipe.

Bolognese Sauce

2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped celery
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped carrot
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine
2 cups (500 ml) canned plum tomatoes, seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 cup (250 ml) water

Heat the oil and butter together over low heat in a heavy-bottomed pot.
Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until wilted. Add the meat,
breaking up the meat with a fork or spoon. Season the meat with salt and
pepper, add the wine and allow the wine to cook completely down to
almost dry before adding the tomatoes and water. Adjust the heat to a
slow simmer and, being careful not to cook too rapidly, cook the meat
and tomato sauce for 3 to 4 hours. Stir frequently to avoid scorching
the bottom. When the sauce has cooked for several hours and the excess
water has cooked off, remove from the heat and allow to cool before assembling the lasagna.
Received on Mon Jun 1 21:57:28 2009