INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

EGG PASTA
LASAGNE
SPINACH-CHEESE FILLING
BECHAMEL
EGG PASTA: Combine the flour and the salt in a bowl, make a well in the
middle, add the egg and the olive oil. Using your fingers, lightly and
gradually work the egg into the flour so that it is completely distributed
throughout. When it is well combined, press the mixture together to form a
dough. Turn it out onto a counter and begin to work it together. If it is
too dry, add drops of water, a few at a time, to moisten the dough and help
it come together. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until it feels
smooth and supple. Put it in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic, and set
it aside to rest at least half an hour, preferably an hour before rolling
it out. LASAGNE: Prepare the pasta dough and set it aside to rest. Grate or
slice the cheese; then prepare the tomato sauce and spinach-cheese filling.
Heat the oil in a wide skillet, add the onion, garlic and marjoram or
oregano and saute until the onion is transparent and soft. Season with
salt; then add the tomatoes and wine. Cook slowly until the sauce is
thickened. If the tomatoes are overly tart, correct the acidity by adding a
pinch or two of sugar. Once they are cooked, pass them through a food mill;
then season to taste with a few drops of vinegar, freshly ground black
pepper and more salt if needed. SPINACH-CHEESE FILLING: Remove the stems
from the spinach; discard any bruised or yellow leaves. Wash the spinach
well in 2 changes of water. Roughly chop the leaves into small pieces about
an inch square. In a wide pan, heat the oil and saute the onion for several
minutes; then add half the garlic, the spinach leaves and a sprinkling of
salt. Cook until the spinach is wilted; then remove it to a bowl and
combine it with the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, the remaining garlic and the
parsley and lemon peel. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper
and a scraping or two of nutmeg. BECHAMEL: Melt the butter in a saucepan,
add the flour, and cook over low flame for 2-to-3 minutes, stirring
continuously. Scald the milk in a separate pan, then pour it into the
flour-butter mixture, whisking as you do so. Season with salt, pepper and a
scraping of nutmeg and continue to cook the sauce for 15 minutes over low
heat, giving an occasional stir. Roll the dough thin, and cut the final
strips into pieces that will fit your baking pan. Bring a pot of water to a
boil and add salt. Have ready a large bowl of cold water. Cook several
pieces of dough at a time. Remove them when they rise to the surface, and
put them in the cold water to cool; spread on a kitchen towel. Preheat the
oven to 350F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread half the
bechamel over the bottom. Piece together several strips of the pasta so
that they cover the bottom and hang over the edges of the baking dish.
(Later they will be folded over the top, effectively sealing in the
fillings.) Spread 1/2 the tomato sauce over this first layer of pasta and
cover with 1/2 the mozzarella. Put down another layer of pasta and cover
this with 1/2 the spinach-cheese filling. Continue with more pasta, tomato
and mozzarella, pasta and spinach-cheese filling. Finish by laying 1-or-2
strips of pasta down the center and folding the overhanging edges over the
top. Cover with the remaining bechamel sauce. Cover the lasagna with foil
and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15
minutes, or until the top is puffed and browned. Let the lasagne rest for a
few minutes; then cut it into pieces and serve. NOTE: Lasagne can also be
made by using commercial fresh pasta sheets,
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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