How to make the Lasagna of Meat Ragu' with Ricotta and Mozzarella:
asagne should be made with 3 eggs for each pound of flour so that
they turn out a little stiffer. Cut lasagne into 3-in. wide, 12-in. long
ribbons, or the length of the baking pan of your choice.
The sauce:
This pork ragu' should be made the day before it is used so that it is
easier to remove the excess fat which will surface. Place the strutto,
the oil and prosciutto fat in a saucepan, together with onion. Let the
onion get tender (not brown) and add the pork meat. Brown on all sides
and add the wine, and let reduce by 1/2. Add the tomato paste after
diluting it in a cup of water, then add peeled tomatoes and bring to a
simmer.
Cook for at least 4 hours with the pot covered. Add some water if the sauce
gets too thick. Stir occasionally to make sure it does not stick to the
bottom.
The Dumplings:
Chop the lean veal, add white breadcrumbs previously soaked in water and
squeezed. Add 1 egg, 1 tbs. grated Parmigiano, chopped parsley, salt and
pepper. Mix all ingredients to get a smooth compound. Make dumplings the
size of a nutmeg and fry in hot oil. Place on paper towel to rid of
excess fat and set aside.
Saute the sausage with strutto and cook till well browned. Remove from
pan. Chop and combine with the meat dumplings, place into a small
casserole with a cup of the pork ragu'. Pass the ricotta through a fine
sieve and add 2 tbs. of pork ragu', mix well and set aside. Slice the
Mozzarella thinly and set aside.
Boil the lasagne in plenty of salted water, remove when al dente and strain. Cool with cold water to stop the cooking process and add a
little oil so that pasta ribbons will not stick to one another and will
be easier to manage.
The Baking:
Butter a large baking pan. Place a little ragu' on the bottom of the pan.
Next, place a layer of lasagne, a thin layer of ricotta, a layer
of Mozzarella, the dumplings, the sausage, another layer of ragu', and a
generous amount of Parmigiano. Continue with at least 3 layers and make
sure the ingredients prepared are evenly used throughout the layering.
The top layer should be the pork ragu', grated Parmigiano, and dots of
butter. Bake for 30 min. and let the lasagne rest for 10 min.
before serving.
Recipe courtesy of The Italian Trade Commission.
Serves 4-6
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