My friend Lydia asked if I would lead a lasagna cooking class as a fundraiser for her non-profit Drop In and Decorate. Though it doesn’t fit into my usual style of teaching cooking of preparing more refined recipes, I love the idea of building lasagna from scratch. Lasagna from scratch can seem like an overwhelming task, but each of its components is pretty straightforward – pasta, ricotta, mozzarella and Bolognese sauce.
This is a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Even with 45 minutes of baking, the fresh pasta retains its toothsome texture. Homemade ricotta with fresh basil brightens each bit with its lemony tang. And the mozzarella adds creaminess. The rich Bolognese sauce lends a surprising lightness to the dish, perhaps from the minimal tomato product.
The net result is much lighter than the lasagnas I’ve been served in the past; satisfying without being heavy.
Totally From Scratch Lasagna
I have previously posted recipes for each of the components on my blog. Click on the links for more details.
2 cups ricotta
1 egg
2 tbs. plus ½ cup parmesan
1 tbs. fresh basil
pinch fresh nutmeg
3 tbs. butter
3-6 Sheets Fresh Pasta (use equal parts semolina and flour)
Bolognese Sauce
Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced or grated
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta sheets for 2 minutes. Drain well, and toss with olive oil
2. Mix ricotta with egg, 2 tbs. parmesan, basil, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
3. Brush the bottom of lasagna pan with butter
4. Spoon about 1/3 cup sauce on the bottom of pan.
5. Cover with a layer of pasta, overlapping slightly. Spread a heaping 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles. Spread ¾ cup sauce evenly over cheese. Spread a layer of mozzarella over this. Layer pasta and then repeat process 2 or 3 more times.
6. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
We can’t thank you enough for this wonderful class! People are still raving about the lasagna, and one of our students is making it with a group of her daughter’s friends next month. I couldn’t imagine a more delicious way to support Drop In & Decorate!
It was delicious and fun. The ricotta was especially yummy.
Thanks,
Of course, the class sold out very quickly! I could fill another class with my friends. Their mouths water when they hear me describe how fun and delicious it is. Thanks!
I’m all over this. This lasagna looks DELICIOUS!
DJ
1. The sauce goes below the pasta at the bottom? I did not know that! I’ve never made Lasagna, precisely because it looks like a lot of work.
2. Wasn’t it a lot of work to make the cheeses from scratch?
Bishop 22 – Just a little sauce on the bottom, just to keep everything from sticking. Yes, it’s a lot of work to make everything from scratch, but it is so worth it.