Premium pasta recipes originated from Italy for all occasions.Pasta with Tomatoes,Butter,Cheese,Mushrooms,Seafood,Meat,Olives and Olive Oil,Greens and Herbs,Beans,Lentils,Garlic,Peppers,Eggplant,Fresh and Filled.
FOR BECHAMEL 5 tbsp (75g) butter 4 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour 3 cups (750ml) milk salt, black pepper, nutmeg
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cook pasta, 3 sheets at a time, in a large pot of boiling, salted water for half the recommended time, or until pasta is pliable but slightly hard at the center, about 4 minutes for dried pasta, 1 minute for fresh pasta. Drain and place sheets in a single layer on dish towels. For bechamel, melt butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook until foaming, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour in milk gradually, whisking constantly. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. In a buttered 13in x 9in x 3in (33cm x 23cm x 7.5cm) oven-proof dish, spread a thin layer of the bechamel. Lay 3 sheets pasta, over the bechamel. Spread a quarter of the ragu over the pasta. Spread a quarter of the bechamel over the ragu, and sprinkle with a quarter of the parmesan. Starting with another layer of 3 pasta sheets, repeat layers. Repeat layers again to finish, ending with parmesan. Bake in oven until golden and bubbling, 30 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
WHICH PASTA?
Egg lasagne, green or yellow, fresh when possible.
THINK AHEAD Assemble lasagne and leave to cool completely. Cover, unbaked, and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance. Alternatively freeze, unbaked, up to 3 weeks in advance. Defrost overnight in refrigerator. Cook in preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 minutes. Make bechamel up to 2 days in advance. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate. Before using, beat to make it easy to spread. If making with cold bechamel, be sure to have ragu and pasta also cold.
COOKS' NOTE
I don't recommend no-cook lasagne, but if it is all you can find at the store, always treat it as regular dried lasagne and pre-cook until just pliable, about 30 seconds. Alternatively, follow the recipe on the packet, which will make proper allowances for the amount of liquid absorbed by the lasagne during baking.
VARIATION
CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN LASAGNE Omit bechamel. Use 8 oz (250g) ricotta, crumbled, and 8 oz (25Og) finely sliced mozzarella in place of bechamel. Arrange in layers as directed, substituting ricotta and mozzarella mixture for bechamel. Bake as directed.
12 oz (350g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 celery stalk, quartered 1/2 small onion, chopped 5 tbsp dry white wine
FOR SAUCE
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp finely chopped onion 1 tbsp finely chopped celery stalk 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary grated zest of 1/2 lemon 1 - 14oz (400g) can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped salt, black pepper 1 lb (500g) dried pasta
Place chicken, celery, onion, and wine in a pan with cold water to cover. Bring slowly to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer gently without boiling until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Cool completely in cooking liquid. Drain, reserving liquid, and cut chicken into 1/2in (1cm) dice. Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium low heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic, parsley, and rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add lemon zest, tomatoes, and 4 tbsp reserved poaching liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until thick, 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and heat through, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, sailed water, until firm to the bite. Drain. Add pasta to the hot sauce. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately.
WHICH PASTA?
Medium tubes or shapes - gnocchi. ditali. macaroni.
THINK AHEAD
Cook chicken, but do not dice, up to 2 days in advance. Make tomato sauce up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). For bechamel, melt butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook until foaming, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour in milk gradually, whisking constantly. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Bring to the boil and remove from heat. Add salt, black pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, until just firm to the bite. Drain. Toss pasta with ragu, bechamel, and parmesan. Place in buttered 12in x 8in x 3in (30cm x 20cm x 7.5cm) oven-proof dish and bake until golden and crusty, 15 minutes. Leave to stand lor 5 minutes before serving. WHICH PASTA?
Large tubes or shapes - rigatoni, penne, conchiglie.
THINK AHEAD
Assemble and leave to cool completely. Cover, unbaked and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance. Alternatively, freeze up to 3 weeks In advance. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
12 sheets dried or fresh lasagne
