Lasagne
In Italy, lasagne is usually made with fresh pasta, either made at home or bought at the local shop (practically every town has one). The quality of the pasta is in fact the key to the dish, since the ratio of noodles to sauce should be fairly equal. The other components should also be of top quality, as they will contribute to the overall dish; buy fresh ricotta and mozzarella if possible—both will lend wonderful flavor and creaminess. This vegetarian lasagne evokes the Italian flag, with its layers of red (marinara sauce), white (cheese), and green (fresh spinach pasta). If you would like to incorporate some meat, brown a pound of sweet Italian sausage (casings removed), crumbling with a spoon as it cooks, then halve the sausage and sprinkle evenly among the cheese in two layers. The pasta dough should be made as close to assembling the lasagne as possible, so plan accordingly. There is no need to pre-boil these noodles. Once rolled out to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine, stack the noodles (they should measure 5 inches wide and 26 inches long) on a baking sheet with plenty of semolina in between to keep them from sticking together. The lasagne can be assembled on one day and then baked on the next; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut pasta Heat oven to 375°F. Trim each rolled pasta sheet to make two 5-by-13-inch rectangles (you should have 8 sheets).
Step 2
Prepare fillings Stir together ricotta, egg, and nutmeg until well blended; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut the mozzarella in half, and set half aside. Grate the other half on the large holes of a box grater (you should have about 2 cups; it will be much easier to grate if it’s well chilled), then fold into the ricotta mixture.
Step 3
Make layers Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Make a layer of lasagna sheets in pan, very slightly overlapping them to completely cover the sauce. Use a small offset spatula to spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta, then sprinkle with one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add another layer of pasta, 1 cup of sauce, and another layer of pasta. Spread another one-third of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle with another one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add the final layer of pasta, the remaining ricotta mixture and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the remaining 2 cups of sauce. Tear reserved mozzarella half into shreds with your fingers, placing it evenly over the sauce.
Step 4
Bake and serve Place pan on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake lasagne until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 50 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
