Luigi's Lasagna Al Forno

* Exported from MasterCook *

LUIGI'S LASAGNA AL FORNO

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and sliced
-very thin
1 Stalk celery, sliced very
-thin
4 Cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 c Olive oil
2 cn Plum tomatoes, drained (28
-ounces each)
Salt, pepper, and sugar
-(optional), to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
-(optional
1/2 c Red wine
FOR THE BECHAMEL
2 c Milk
4 tb Unsalted butter
4 tb All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts White pepper
Nutmeg, to taste
FOR ASSEMBLING
Olive oil and salt for
-cooking lasagna noodles
3/4 lb Lasagna noodles
15 oz Ricotta cheese (1 container)
1/4 To 1/3 pound mozzarella
-cheese, thinly sliced

FOR THE SAUCE

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

To make the sauce, saute the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic in the
olive oil until golden. Add the tomatoes, mashing them in the pot as they
are added. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 1
hour. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes; cook for another 1/2
hour, covered. In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the red wine.

To make the bechamel sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan.
Melt the butter in another saucepan and gradually whisk in the flour. Cook
for about 2 minutes, but do not let the mixture turn brown. Remove the
saucepan from the heat and add the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return
the saucepan to low heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 5 to 10
minutes, or until the sauce is medium thick. Add the salt, pepper, and
nutmeg.

Cook the lasagna noodles in salted boiling water, with a few drops of olive
oil, until al dente. Drain.

In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spoon enough tomato sauce to just cover the
bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, then some tomato
sauce. Spoon on a third of the ricotta cheese, then a third of the
bechamel sauce. Cover with a layer of pasta, then tomato sauce, a third of
the ricotta and a third of the bechamel. Repeat one more time. Top with a
layer of sliced mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30
minutes, or until piping hot. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with
optional Parmesan cheese before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Nutrients per Serving: 336 Calories, 13 g Protein, 26 g Carbohydrate, 21 g
Fat, 10 g Saturated Fat, 50 mg Cholesterol, 483 mg Sodium.

[THE WASHINGTON POST; January 16, 1991]

Posted by Fred Peters.



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