Lasagna Blanca Food

BIANCA LASAGNA WITH PESTO

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combined the asiago, mozzarella and Parmesan. In a separate medium bowl, combine the ricotta and egg. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently and controlling the heat to prevent browning, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue whisking until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the prepared pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk 1/4 cup of the pesto cream sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons prepared pesto into the ricotta mixture. Set aside the remaining sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Working in batches, add the pasta sheets to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with the olive oil. Add 1/2 cup of the pesto cream sauce to the bottom of the baking dish. Place 1 pasta sheet on top of the sauce. Spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the mozzarella mixture. Drizzle 1/3 cup pesto cream sauce over the cheese. Repeat the process, layering pasta, ricotta, mozzarella and pesto cream sauce twice more (3 layers in total). Finally finish with the fourth pasta sheet on top, and cover completely with the remaining pesto cream sauce and ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella mixture. Coat a large piece of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna; bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and turn the oven to broil. Broil until the top is a spotty golden brown, about 3 minutes. Allow the lasagna to sit for 15 minutes before topping with the roasted pine nuts and chiffonade of basil. Slice and serve.

WHITE LASAGNE WITH PARMIGIANO BESCIAMELLA (LASAGNE IN BIANCO )

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Cook shallots in butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, 3 minutes. Add nutmeg, then slowly whisk in milk and stock. Bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, stirring occasionally, just until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to warm, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggs, Marsala, sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese.
• Spread about 1 1/4 cups sauce over bottom of an 11- by 8-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 3 lasagne sheets. Repeat layering 3 more times, then top with remaining sauce and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, until browned, 45 to 55 minutes.

BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain., Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally., In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and remaining parsley and salt., Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

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.

WHITE SAUCE LASAGNA (LASAGNA BIANCA)

Steps:

• In a small pot of boiling water add peas and cook until tender about 10 minutes, cook sausage in a small frying pan adding a 1/4 cup of water, cook until browned and cooked thoroughly and water has evaporated (watch that it doesn't burn), in a medium frying pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of parsley ,1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 cup of water, cook on medium heat until tender and water has evaporated, stirring occasionally , watch that they don't burn. When done, add the drained peas, italian sausage to the mushrooms and combine well. In a large pot melt butter over medium heat, blend in flour and salt, gradually stir in milk , cook and stir over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, remove from heat. In a medium baking pan (I used a 12x10) spread a ladle (using a 1/2 cup ladle) of sauce on the bottom of the pan (keeps the noodles from sticking) then doing 4 layers , place lasagna noodles (or strips) on top (I used 4 for every level, 1 noodle break in half length wise to fit the pan if need be), add 1 1/2 to 2 ladles of sauce (spread so that it covers the noodles), 1/4 of the mixture spread on top, 1/4 of the chopped mozzarella, and a 1/4 of the grated parmesan cheese for 4 layers. Bake in 350° degree oven for approximately 20-25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting . Enjoy!
• *the new oven ready lasagne (no boiling needed) is a perfect alternative. I'm sure you can find it in the pasta section of your supermarket.

LASAGNA BLANCA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion until sausage is cooked through; drain well.
• Stir in 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoons pepper; set aside.
• For filling, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the Montery jack cheese, 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoons pepper; set aside.
• Grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.
• Place noodles on a clean surface. Spread cheese filling evenly over noodles. Sprinkle sausage mixture and mushrooms on top. Roll up each noodle into a spiral. Place lasagna rolls, seam sides down, in a prepared dish; set aside.
• For sauce, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, tarragon, and 1/8 teaspoons pepper. Add milk. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour sauce over the pasta spirals.
• Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove cover; sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake 15 more minutes.

CLASSIC LASAGNE

Steps:

• First make the bechamel sauce. In a saucepan melt butter. Add flour, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the hot milk, and cook whisking occasionally for 3-5 minutes until thickened and lightly coating the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and set aside. For the meat sauce, in a skillet melt butter. Add onions, carrots, celery and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Then add the smoked ham and cook for another 5 minutes. Add ground beef and pork, and white wine, stir to combine and reduce 1 minute. Add plum tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x12x13-inch baking dish with butter. Spread a layer of the meat sauce evenly over the bottom of a baking dish. Then add 1 cup of the bechamel sauce-smoothing it over the meat sauce. Add 1/3 of the lasagne sheets. Continue with 3 more layers. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.