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Summery Lasagne for Winter
Served with a big green salad
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Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 60 minutes |
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 2 bunches basil
- 1 head escarole, curly endive or the lettuce of your choice
- 1 shallot
- 1 quart whole milk
- Two 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes
- 1-3/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- One 9 oz. pkg. oven-ready Lasagne pasta (or you can make your own)
- One loaf of delicious, crusty bread
Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Bay leaves
- Black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves
- Red wine vinegar
- Sea salt
- Unsalted butter
Pantry Items
- 9X13 baking dish
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Grater
- Large saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Salad spinner
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Tongs
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
Tools
- Wine: A red from Chianti
- Dessert: Pears with lemon juice and honey
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine
- Prep
- Peel and dice the onions.
- Peel and mince the garlic.
- Peel and thinly slice the shallot.
- Rinse and pat dry the basil. Pluck 3-1/2 cups leaves.
- Discard any damaged leaves from the heads of lettuce. Wash and spin dry the rest.
- Tear the lettuce leaves into large, bite-size pieces.
- Measure 7 tbsps. flour into a bowl.
- Start Cooking
- Put the onions, the minced garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in the large saucepan over medium heat.
- When the onions begin to sizzle, cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.
- While the onions are cooking, heat 3-1/2 cups milk with 1 bay leaf in the small saucepan just until it has tiny bubbles around the edge. Remove it from the heat and keep it warm.
- Make the béchamel sauce for the lasagna. Melt 7 tbsps. butter in the medium saucepan over medium heat.
- When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook it, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the milk and the bay leaf into the butter and flour and cook until it thickens to the consistency of thick, heavy cream, whisking often. This will take 5-8 minutes.
- Season the béchamel with salt and pepper and remove it from the heat.
- Check the onions. If they are translucent, add the tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so they are simmering and cook them for 15 minutes covered, stirring when you think of it.
- Mince 1-1/2 cups basil leaves and stir them into the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
- Assemble the lasagna. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then add a layer of pasta, overlapping the noodles just slightly if necessary. (You may not need the entire box of pasta.)
- Pour one-third of the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta and spread it out as evenly as you can.
- Pour one-third of the béchamel sauce over the tomato sauce, and spread it out as evenly as you can.
- Sprinkle with one-third of the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Tear half the remaining basil leaves into big pieces, and sprinkle them on top of the béchamel.
- Repeat with one layer of pasta, tomato sauce, béchamel, cheese, and all the remaining basil.
- Repeat once more, using up all the ingredients, ending with the cheese.
- Put the lasagna in the oven and bake it for 30+ minutes, until it is gorgeously golden and bubbly.
- While the lasagna is baking, make the vinaigrette. Put the shallot in a big bowl with 2 tbsps. vinegar.
- Add a decent pinch of salt, some pepper, and then whisk in ½ cup olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
- Set the table, pour yourself a glass of wine.
- When the lasagna is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for at least 5 minutes, preferably 10, because it is HOT.
- Whisk the vinaigrette again, and add the lettuce. Toss, toss, toss and adjust the seasoning.
- Slice the bread and put it into a basket.
- Call everyone to the table. Take the lasagna- don’t forget a hot pad for the table – and the salad. Don’t’ forget the wine!
