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| Lasagna with Four Cheeses |
Few baked pastas are as rich and satisfying as this dish inspired by recipes from northern
Italy.
The new "no-boil" lasagne sheets have a marvelous tender texture, although it is wise to dip
them briefly in boiling water for the best result, and since you are boiling water anyway, why
not
use the regular lasagne noodles? I'm not completely sold on either.
Use which ever you prefer.
For Sauce:
3 1/2 cups milk
1 fresh rosemary sprig, 2 inches long
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For Bread Crumbs:
1 loaf good-quality country-style white bread, about 1/2 lb,
cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20 sheets lasagne
Method for Sauce:
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the rosemary sprig and place over medium-low heat until
small bubbles appear along the pan edge.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk to form a
smooth paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. When the milk
is hot, add the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Simmer over medium heat until the
sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary
sprig.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Method for Bread Crumbs:
Preheat over to 350. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the bread cubes to
produce coarse crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the crumbs, garlic and salt and pepper to
taste. Add enough olive oil to moisten the mixture slightly. Spread on a baking sheet and bake
until barely golden, 2-4 minutes.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the toasted
walnuts, ricotta, mascarpone, Fontina, 1 cup of the Parmesan, rosemary, parsley, and salt
and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add 1 cup of the béchamel and stir vigorously to mix.
Fill a deep pot three-fourths full with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Using
tongs, dip the lasagna sheets into the boiling water for 10 seconds, then lay them on a kitchen
towel to drain.
To assemble:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch lasagna pan. Top
with a layer of pasta, then with a layer of the cheese mixture. Top with a layer 1/4 inch thick
of the béchamel. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan. Top with another
layer of pasta sheets. Alternate layers of the cheese mixture and béchamel and Parmesan,
until all the ingredients except the Parmesan are used up, ending with Béchamel. Scatter the
remaining Parmesan and the bread crumbs over the top. Cover and bake until the dish is
bubbling, 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the bread crumbs are crunchy, about 10
minutes longer. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Italy.
The new "no-boil" lasagne sheets have a marvelous tender texture, although it is wise to dip
them briefly in boiling water for the best result, and since you are boiling water anyway, why
not
use the regular lasagne noodles? I'm not completely sold on either.
Use which ever you prefer.
For Sauce:
3 1/2 cups milk
1 fresh rosemary sprig, 2 inches long
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For Bread Crumbs:
1 loaf good-quality country-style white bread, about 1/2 lb,
cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20 sheets lasagne
Method for Sauce:
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the rosemary sprig and place over medium-low heat until
small bubbles appear along the pan edge.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk to form a
smooth paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. When the milk
is hot, add the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. Simmer over medium heat until the
sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary
sprig.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Method for Bread Crumbs:
Preheat over to 350. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the bread cubes to
produce coarse crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the crumbs, garlic and salt and pepper to
taste. Add enough olive oil to moisten the mixture slightly. Spread on a baking sheet and bake
until barely golden, 2-4 minutes.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the toasted
walnuts, ricotta, mascarpone, Fontina, 1 cup of the Parmesan, rosemary, parsley, and salt
and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add 1 cup of the béchamel and stir vigorously to mix.
Fill a deep pot three-fourths full with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Using
tongs, dip the lasagna sheets into the boiling water for 10 seconds, then lay them on a kitchen
towel to drain.
To assemble:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch lasagna pan. Top
with a layer of pasta, then with a layer of the cheese mixture. Top with a layer 1/4 inch thick
of the béchamel. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan. Top with another
layer of pasta sheets. Alternate layers of the cheese mixture and béchamel and Parmesan,
until all the ingredients except the Parmesan are used up, ending with Béchamel. Scatter the
remaining Parmesan and the bread crumbs over the top. Cover and bake until the dish is
bubbling, 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the bread crumbs are crunchy, about 10
minutes longer. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.