Festive Lasagna Food

LASAGNE

Steps:

• First, make the béchamel sauce. Put the milk, onion, bay leaves and cloves into a large saucepan and bring very gently just up to the boil. Turn off the heat and set aside for 1 hr to infuse.
• For the meat sauce, put the oil, celery, onion, carrot, garlic and pancetta in another large saucepan. Gently cook together until the veg is soft but not coloured.
• Tip in the beef and pork mince, the milk and chopped tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, stir together and break up and mash the lumps of mince against the sides of the pan. When the mince is mostly broken down, stir in all the herbs, the stock cubes and the red wine, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hr, stirring occasionally to stop the bottom catching.
• Uncover and gently simmer for another 30 mins-1 hr until the meat is tender and saucy. Taste and season.
• To finish the béchamel sauce, strain the milk through a fine sieve into one or two jugs. Melt the butter in the same pan then, using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour and cook for 2 mins.
• Stir in the strained milk, a little at a time - the mix will thicken at first to a doughy paste, but keep going, adding milk gradually to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly (if you have lumps, give it a quick whisk). Gently bubble for a few minutes until thickened. Season with salt, pepper and a good grating of nutmeg.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Spread a spoonful of the meat sauce over the base of a roughly 3.5-litre baking dish. Cover with a single layer of dried pasta sheets, snapping them to fit if needed, then top with a quarter of the béchamel. Spoon over a third of the meat sauce and scatter over a little of the parmesan.
• Repeat the layers - pasta, béchamel, meat and parmesan - two more times to use all the meat sauce. Add a final layer of pasta, the last of the béchamel and remaining parmesan. Sit the dish on a baking tray to catch spills and bake for 1 hr until bubbling, browned and crisp on top.

CHRISTMAS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Open the mozzarella fresca and drain out the liquid, then thoroughly dry on paper, or clean cloth towels. Either using a food processor or a manual grater, grate the mozzarella fresca and set aside.
• Drain the ricotta and put in a bowl. With a wooden spoon gently gently gently mash and pat it down till reasonably smooth and flexible. Using a fork mix in the dry spices till well-incorporated, and set aside.
• Place the dried pasta in 1/2 gallon of salted boiling water and bring it back up to a full boil. It's usually done when it starts bubbling white. Drain the pasta in the pasta insert, or colandar over the sink. Once completely drained, then sprinkle the olive oil completely over the pasta to prevent sticking. In a festive deep-dish Lasagna pan layer the pasta, sauce and cheese in that order. The bottom layer starts with pasta. Then, ladle on on a thin layer of marinara, then the cheeses--- starting with the mozzarella fresca, seasoned ricotta, and pecorino romano---sprinkle marinara on top of that and then start again with the pasta, ladling on the sauce and cheese layers all over again.
• Cover the top with foil and bake in a 325F oven for 35-40 minutes, checking and rotating after 20 minutes. Cool covered for at least 30 minutes and garnish with the fresh Basil sprigs, and spicy Italian sausage---which is cooked completely separately.

FESTIVE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Sauce: Combine fish stock, milk and cream and set aside. Make a roux of butter and flour. When cooked, stir in sun-dried tomato paste and whisk in liquids; bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Season well to taste with salt and cayenne.
• Seafood Filling: Saute lobster and crab in butter to warm; add tomatoes and wine and reduce. Stir in basil and chives. Season well with salt and pepper.To assemble: Cut lasagna into strips large enough to fit into 9 x 13 inch pan. Parboil lasagna strips, a few at a time for a minute in boiling water. Chill in ice water; dry on cloth towels. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter pan generously. Layer some lasagna noodles, barely overlapping the edges. Spread some sauce over top and dot sauce with seafood filling; layer until pan is filled. Finish with a layer of sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes; cool for 10 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Using a mandolin or a thin knife, slice eggplant lengthwise into thin strips. Toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup coarse salt. Transfer the eggplant to a colander and allow to sit overnight. (This will remove any excess water from the eggplant and allow it to crisp nicely when fried.) Brush the salt off the eggplant slices. Heat oil in a large skillet until approximately 350 degrees. Carefully fry eggplant slices in the oil until golden brown, approximately 30 seconds on each side. Drain the slices on paper towels, set aside until needed. In a medium bowl mix together 2 cups tomato puree, oregano and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Grease a 8 by 8-inch square pan, and layer the eggplant on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some of the mozzarella cheese mixed with the parmesan cheese, pepper, and drizzle the tomato sauce over the cheese. Repeat the process the pan is full. Bake the lasagna for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

BOXING DAY FESTIVE ROAST PUMPKIN AND CHEESE LASAGNE - LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/gas 6, slipping in a baking sheet as you do.
• To make the pumpkin filling: heat the oil and butter in a shallow casserole dish or roasting tin and fry the sage leaves over a gentle heat for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pan and fry very gently for another 10 minutes or so. Add the pumpkin pieces, turn well in the oniony oil and then add the vermouth (or wine), the water and chopped tomatoes. Roast in a pre-heated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning - I tend to add quite a bit of salt here - and leave to cool.
• For the tomato sauce: simply pour the chopped tomatoes and water into a large jug or bowl, and stir in the sugar, salt and pepper, whisking it all together.
• To make up the cheese layer: in a separate bowl beat the goat's cheese, cream cheese, Cheddar and ricotta with the eggs, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To assemble the lasagne, begin by putting 500ml of the cold tomato sauce in the bottom of a roasting tin (measuring approx 36cm x 26cm x 6cm). Then layer with a third of the lasagne sheets, overlapping them well. Leave the rest of the tomato sauce aside for the time being.
• Layer a third of the pumpkin filling over the lasagne, and dollop on a third of the cheese mixture, coaxing with a rubber spatula. It won't cover completely; think more of spreading blobs about. Then start again with a layer of lasagne, followed by pumpkin, then the cheese. Repeat once more - lasagne, pumpkin, and the last of the cheese mixture. Pour the remaining cold tomato sauce over, letting it sink down and be absorbed in the layers. Slice and chop the mozzarella balls and dot over the top.
• Cook in the oven, on the baking sheet, for 1 hour. Once cooked, take out of the oven and let it stand for 15-30 minutes to make cutting and serving easier. (I love this when it's been standing for an hour or so, too.) As you cut and slice, you will notice a shallow tomatoey cheesy pool at the bottom of the tin; bread dunked into this is gorgeous.
• Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the lasagne, and cut into squares to serve.
• MAKE AHEAD TIP Up to 2 days ahead, make the pumpkin filling, leave to cool and keep, covered, in the fridge. Make the cheese layer and keep, covered, in the fridge. When ready to use, assemble the lasagne and cook as directed.
• FREEZE AHEAD TIP Cook, cool and freeze the cooked pumpkin for up to 1 week. Thaw overnight in the fridge. When ready to use, assemble the lasagne and cook as directed.