Umbrian Lasagna

By nnlester

If you make the ragu and bechamel on different days, freeze them and thaw the day you will assemble it the recipe is not so daunting. I also used store bought pasta. It is a very rich but light lasagna.

Ingredients

• Umbrian Ragu Sauce:
• 1 Carrot, Peeled & Finely Diced
• 2 Celery Stalks, Finely Diced
• 1 Medium Onion, Peeled & Finely Diced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Pound Ground Pork
• 4 Ounces Finely Chopped Prosciutto
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2/3 Cup Dry Red Wine
• 2 (14 Ounce) Cans Chopped Tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper
• Dash Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
• Pasta Dough:
• 4 Cups Unbleached Flour
• 5 Extra Large Eggs
• Pinch of Salt
• Bechamel Sauce:
• 5 tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 4 Cups Milk
• 1 Teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
• Ingredients To Assemble:
• 3 Cups Finely Diced Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 1/2 Cups Grated Pecorino Cheese

Preparation

Step 1

To make the sauce, Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan and cook the celery, carrot, and onion over medium heat until tender.
Add the ground pork and chopped prosciutto and cook until the meat is no longer pink and has begun to brown.
Add the garlic and cook an additional couple of minutes.
Next add the wine and cook until it has almost completely evaporated.
Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an hour and a half until the sauce has thickened.
To make the pasta, mound your flour on a large pastry board, or the counter, and make a well in the center. Break the eggs into this well, and start to scramble each egg with a fork as it is being added.
Start to incorporate the eggs and flour by slowly bringing more flour in from the inside edges of the well.
Continue adding the flour to the eggs until they are no longer runny.
Using your hands now, bring the outside edges in, forming a large mass on your board.
Use only the amount of flour needed to form a soft ball.
Begin to knead the ball of dough as you would bread, pushing it down with the heel of your hand.
Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and satiny, for about 8 minutes.
Wrap the prepared dough in plastic wrap, and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
Use a pasta roller or roll by hand to make long sheets of pasta 1/4 thick. (I use my Kitchen Aide table mixer with the pasta attachment and roll my past to the third last position.)
After rolling, cut into 12 inch long strips.
Precook in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place in ice water.
Dry and set aside on clean kitchen towels.

To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Once it is completely melted and bubbling, add the flour and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Cook for a minute or two until the flour just begins to take on some color.
Slowly start adding the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
Continue to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, stirring often, then season with a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Set aside until you are ready to use, by pouring the sauce into a glass bowl and covering with a buttered sheet of plastic wrap.

To assemble the lasagna, first scoop a ladleful of the béchamel sauce and spread across the bottom of your lasagna pan.
Add a layer of noodles and then cover the noodles with a couple of scoops of the ragu sauce.
Place another layer of noodles on top, then another layer of béchamel sauce.
Sprinkle some of the diced mozzarella and pecorino cheese on top of the béchamel.
Continue to layer using up your noodles and alternating the sauces.
On top of the final layer add a couple of spoonfuls of both sauces and sprinkle with some of both the cheeses.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes until the lasagna is bubbly and beginning to brown.
Let rest 10 minutes before serving.