Today we celebrate Italian and create a meal that takes you on a delicious and romantic culinary journey into the human soul.
Beginning with a hunger that only warm Italian food can satisfy, we envision the salacious images of noodles, meat, and cheese lying on top of each other. We try to block the delicious images but our palms begin to sweat and we’re reminded that indeed yes, we are still human. That cruel, empty feeling in our gut reminds us that the kitchen beckons, whispering savory things to our senses. We follow the culinary muse and become part of the metamorphosis in this heady, culinary dream, where hunger is tamed only by expectation.
Together, we stir the simmering tomato sauce, and as the rich essences pass our noses, we can almost taste what we know is the rhapsody of lasagna. With a bit of wine, we transform it into a harmony of expression, and as we blend together the rest of the ingredients, we feel a beautiful aria rise up within us. Just as in love, a subtle touch of humor eases our impatient stomachs and calms our anxious palates. We try to ignore the soft warm noodles in front of us. While the velvety-rich tomato meat sauce simmers, luscious Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses tempt and tease us, daring us to reach out.
But as the oven warms the kitchen, our momentum grows and we can feel it with the beat of our hearts. The heat of the kitchen reminds us that things could easily bubble over. We dab our sweating foreheads and ask ourselves again: can we wait? We pause for a moment, look deeply in each other’s eyes and whisper, “Yes, we think we can.”
When it’s finally served, we envelope ourselves in the vision, and just for a brief moment, we fondle the warm, rich, luscious layers of culinary harmony with the tines of our fork, then slowly and steadily satisfy the primal beast that lurks deep within.
Recipe for Lasagna
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion (about a half an onion)
2 Tlbs olive oil
2 – 14.5oz cans whole plain tomatoes, or 1, 1-lb can, preferably Italian
2 – 6oz cans tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
¼ cup good red wine (A California Cabernet was used here)
1 Tlb chopped fresh or dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1 ¼ Tlb sugar
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
¼ – ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tlb fresh oregano.
Bunch of fresh basil leaves, stems removed. Whole dried leaves work too.
2 large eggs
2 lbs whole-milk Ricotta cheese
1 lb whole-milk Mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Reggiano)
1 – 12 oz jar drained roasted sweet red peppers for the top, or fresh de-skinned, de-seeded, sliced lengthwise, about a cup or so.
12 long-type lasagna noodles, plus one for good luck.
9″ X 13″ X 2″ rectangular baking dish, (preferably glass)
In a large, deep-sided skillet (12″ diam X 2.5″ deep) , lightly brown beef and onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, salt, sugar, garlic, black pepper and oregano and enough of the water to fill the pan. Stir. If the tomatoes are whole, break them up with your spoon. Simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the fillings: In a small bowl, add two eggs into Ricotta and fold to mix. Stir in about four or five medium basil leaves (tear them in large pieces if you like, but don’t chop). Cover and let stand in a cool place. Coarsely grate Mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand in a cool place, while you finish the sauce.
Stir wine into sauce and add a few medium basil leaves. Simmer uncovered another 30 minutes or until thickened. In the meantime, bring water to a gentle boil in a large stockpot or pasta pot for the noodles and try to keep it at that temperature level. Add a small dash of olive oil if you prefer after water is boiling to help prevent the noodles from sticking together. Slowly add noodles and stir gently. Be sure they are all beneath the level of the water. Cook uncovered for about 8 minutes or until al dente, or still fairly firm. Test a noodle on the side of the pan with a fork. Do not overcook. Drain.
In your baking dish, work fairly quickly before the noodles stick together. Cover them with a pot lid to keep them moist. Begin by spreading about 1 cup or so sauce, enough to just cover the bottom of the dish. Then alternate layers of lasagna noodles, then sauce, Ricotta, Mozzarella, and sprinkled Parmesan. End with the meat sauce as the last layer. Divide and spread out all amounts as you go, so each is evenly used. Top the final layer with lengths of roasted red pepper on top of sauce. Sprinkle remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Top with about 8 to 10 whole basil leaves, evenly spaced, which can determine the portion sizes when serving. Gently pat down the top mixture with the flat of your hand.
Bake at 350°F for 40 to 60 minutes or until lightly browned and nice and bubbly. Allow to cool about 15-30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. Yield: About 8-10 servings.
© 2014 J.C. Gary. All rights reserved.