Autumn Lasagna Food

MOM'S LASAGNA, FALL VERSION

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 3 to 4 minutes less than the package directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and pour the pasta onto a baking sheet to cool. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside until ready to assemble.
• For the Bolognese: Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef, season with salt, and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown. Move the beef to one side of the pan, add the squash and cook until it begins to brown and soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and garlic with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for a few minutes until it looks rusty. Add in the white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme bundle and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved 1 cup pasta water and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it forms a wet sandy consistency. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ricotta, pecorino and egg yolks, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a 7-quart roasting pan or a lasagna pan on the baking sheet.
• To assemble: Spoon a layer of Bolognese into the pan, covering the whole bottom. Add an even layer of noodles and press into the sauce. Add a layer of Bolognese over the noodles, then another layer of pasta. Spoon some of the bechamel over the noodles, covering the entire surface. Add another layer of pasta, pressing down gently. Spoon a layer of Bolognese to cover the surface. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of Bolognese on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then cover with foil and bake until completely warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and crusty on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and let set 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

NO-BAKE SUMMER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons oil; season with salt and pepper. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add garlic and tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until slightly broken down, about 3 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and zucchini to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another bowl and stir in basil.
• Place some tomatoes on four plates; top with a noodle and small spoonfuls ricotta, zucchini, and more tomatoes. Repeat layering twice, then top with remaining noodles and tomatoes. Garnish with basil.

AUTUMN LASAGNA

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.
• CUT cabbage into thin strips. Pour boiling water over porcini mushrooms and let soak for 30 minutes or until softened. Drain and chop porcini mushrooms.
• HEAT 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat.
• ADD garlic, mushrooms and rosemary and cook until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes.
• ADD cabbage and cook over low heat, covered for 5 minutes.
• ADD wine and simmer until the wine is evaporated.
• ADD 1/4 cup of water and cook over low heat until cabbage is tender, about 6 minutes. Discard garlic and rosemary and season cabbage with salt and pepper to taste.
• MELT remaining 4 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
• ADD milk in a stream, whisking and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.
• ADD cabbage to sauce.
• COMBINE the 2 cheese. Spread one-third of the cabbage mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.
• ARRANGE half of the lasagne in one layer on top of the cabbage and top with half the remaining cabbage mixture and half of the cheese mixture .
• ARRANGE the remaining lasagne over the cheese and top with the remaining cabbage mixture and cheese.
• BAKE in the middle of the over for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling.

AUTUMN LASAGNA WITH CHICKEN, SQUASH AND SAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease an 8-cup casserole dish that fits a single lasagna sheet nicely.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat add the oil and onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté one minute more. Add the chicken stock and then stir in the squash and sage and bring to a simmer, cooking loosely covered until the squash is tender (about 12 minutes for fresh, and 6 minutes for frozen. Stir in the chicken and sundried tomatoes. Remove this from the heat and stir in the ricotta and milk. Season to taste.
• To assemble, spoon a little of the chicken filling at the bottom of the prepared dish and place a sheet of lasagna on top. Spoon a generous layer of the chicken filling over this and top with a sprinkling Asiago. Top this with a lasagna sheet and repeat with the chicken filling and Asiago three more times, ending with a generous layer of Asiago on top. Place a sheet of parchment over the lasagna and cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and melted and the filling is bubbling around the sides. Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before scooping or slicing to serve.
• Additionally the lasagna can be assembled a day ahead and chilled, but add another 15 to 20 minutes of baking while it is covered.

MOM'S LASAGNA, FALL VERSION

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 3 to 4 minutes less than the package directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and pour the pasta onto a baking sheet to cool. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside until ready to assemble.
• For the Bolognese: Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef, season with salt, and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown. Move the beef to one side of the pan, add the squash and cook until it begins to brown and soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and garlic with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for a few minutes until it looks rusty. Add in the white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme bundle and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved 1 cup pasta water and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it forms a wet sandy consistency. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ricotta, pecorino and egg yolks, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a 7-quart roasting pan or a lasagna pan on the baking sheet.
• To assemble: Spoon a layer of Bolognese into the pan, covering the whole bottom. Add an even layer of noodles and press into the sauce. Add a layer of Bolognese over the noodles, then another layer of pasta. Spoon some of the bechamel over the noodles, covering the entire surface. Add another layer of pasta, pressing down gently. Spoon a layer of Bolognese to cover the surface. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of Bolognese on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then cover with foil and bake until completely warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and crusty on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and let set 20 to 30 minutes before serving.