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,
which will be thicker than those you make at home. These commercial pasta
sheets often come in pieces about 9-by-13-inches, each weighing about 4
ounces; 1 1/2 pound should be more than enough. Use 4-or-5 sheets and do
not try to overlap the bottom layer as in the basic recipe. Though fresh
pasta makers often say the lasagne sheets need not be precooked, the
lasagna will be moister and lighter if they are.
DEBORAH MADISON - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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