Lasagna With Roasted Beets And Herb Béchamel Food

BEEF AND BECHAMEL LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the meat sauce: In a large saucepan or small Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until nearly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink, 6 to 7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and add the marinara sauce and cinnamon. Fill the jar one-quarter full with water, swish it around to pick up any sauce left behind, and add it to the pot. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the bechamel sauce: Heat the milk in the microwave for 2 minutes. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and then whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the warm milk and cook until thickened, whisking frequently, about 10 minutes. Add the nutmeg, garlic, salt, and pepper and set aside.
• For the cottage cheese layer: In a blender or food processor, add the cottage cheese, egg, and Parmesan, and pulse until the cottage cheese curds are small (the mixture will resemble ricotta). Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• To assemble: Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup water plus 1/4 cup meat sauce in the bottom of the pan. Lay 3 noodles crossways in the pan. Divide the cottage cheese mixture in half. Divide the remaining meat sauce in thirds. Divide the grated cheese into fourths. Divide the bechamel into thirds. Add the layers in the following order: cottage cheese, meat sauce, grated cheese, and bechamel. Then, add another layer of noodles, cottage cheese, meat sauce, grated cheese, and bechamel. Finally, add the remaining 3 noodles, meat sauce, grated cheese, and bechamel. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna tightly. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and top with the remaining grated cheese and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the lasagna is bubbling. Allow the lasagna to rest 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

OVEN-READY LASAGNA WITH MEAT SAUCE AND BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the bechamel, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile in a separate pan, melt butter; stir in flour and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture. Whisk vigorously and bring to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and 3/4 of cheese.
• Pour 1/5 of the Barilla sauce and 1/5 of the bechamel into the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish; top with basil. Cover with three noodles and repeat for 3 layers. For the top layer add the remaining Parmigiano cheese and basil. Cover with foil.
• Bake until the corners are bubbling and slightly brown, about 20 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 5 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

LASAGNA WITH ROASTED BEETS AND HERB BéCHAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or lidded ovenproof casserole. Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast 40 to 45 minutes, until the beets are easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Strain while hot into a large measuring cup or a medium bowl and stir in the chopped herbs and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a rectangular baking dish. Spread a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon a thin layer of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with a layer of beets and sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with béchamel and Parmesan. Make sure the noodles are well coated with béchamel so they will be sure to soften during baking.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA WITH ROASTED BEETS AND HERB BéCHAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems.
• Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or lidded ovenproof casserole. Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast 40 to 45 minutes, until the beets are easily penetrated with the tip of a knife.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the dish.
• Cut away the ends and slip off the skins.
• Slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand.
• Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste.
• Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Strain while hot into a large measuring cup or a medium bowl and stir in the chopped herbs and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Oil a rectangular baking dish.
• Spread a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom.
• Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spoon a thin layer of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with a layer of beets. Dot with half of the ricotta and sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with béchamel and Parmesan.
• Make sure the noodles are well coated with béchamel so they will be sure to soften during baking.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling.
• Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the top begins to brown.
• Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
• Advance preparation: You can assemble this up to a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze for a month. The lasagna can be baked several hours ahead and reheated in a medium oven.

LASAGNA WITH BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Meat Sauce: Brown ground meat until no longer pink. Drain off fat, if any, and add the white wine. Cook, stirring bits up from the bottom, until the wine has evaporated. Add spaghetti sauce, bring to a simmer, move to back burner, turn heat to lowest setting, cover.
• Bechamel Sauce: In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk flour into butter and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, continuing to whisk until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, reduce heat to lowest setting, cover.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring water to a boil and prepare dry noodles according to package directions. If using no-boil noodles, take boiling water off heat, add noodles, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before assembling lasagna. I left the no-boil noodles in the hot water during assembly, using tongs to grab, drain and layer noodles as I went.
• Assembly: Use 8x8, 7x11 or similar sized pan. Line bottom of pan with noodles, add about 1/2 cup of meat sauce, then layer about 1/2 cup of bechamel sauce on top. Repeat these layers until all the sauces are used up. Sprinkle the top layer of bechamel with parmesan cheese. Don't fret if there are leftover noodles.
• Bake 40 - 50 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.