Bolognese/Béchamel Stacked lasagna

A Sunday favourite at our house, lasagna’s deep dish flavours make it a winning dish. It doesn’t matter who you are, chances are you eat lasagna. It takes on many faces for many cultures and everyone puts a spin on it. Traditionally Napoletanos claim that they invented this dish, but when in Italy the best comes from Emilia-Romania. Of course, no one could beat my nonna Emilia stuffed rows of tiny meatballs, cubes of cheese, dried sausage and salami, eggs and endless parmesan cheese.

Every Italian kitchen has a version of this casserole of layered pasta, sauce and a variety of other ingredients. My absolute favourite is a simple one made with layers of a meat sauce, cheese, egg noodles. Then, I top it with a thick cheesey béchamel. I make a good sauce using lamb as a base to flavour it. The ground beef starts by sauteing onions, celery and carrots; this flavour base provides layers with richness. At the top of this lasagna the béchamel keeps the dish moist and flavourful. This is a crowd-pleaser.

Pulse the onions and then follow with the celery.

Next the carrots go in for a fine shredding.

Add the soffritto to the browned meat and let it cook for a while.

You can see how the soffritto melts into the meat.

Next I hit it with some good red wine.

Cube the mozzarella and the asiago.

The first layer of meat and cheese.

The second layer is ricotta.

The second layer of meat and cheese and the pan is almost full.

The last layer is the bechamel..

After 50 minutes it comes out of the oven and you add more sauce before putting it back in the oven.

When you let it sit, it cuts perfectly.

5 from 1 vote

Bolognese/Béchamel Stacked lasagna

A one dish crowd pleaser.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Bolognese/Béchamel Stacked lasagna

Servings 10

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef lamb, chicken, pork, your choice
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 clove minced garlic
2 stalks celery
2 large carrots
1 large onion
1 cup good red wine
2 cups cubed mozzarella cheese
250 grams ricotta
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced parsley
2 eggs
1 cup cubed asiago cheese
6 cups marinara sauce
1 package oven ready lasagna egg noodles I use Molisana

The Bechamel Sauce

2 tbsp butter or olive oil
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Instructions

The Lasagna Prep

Start by cooking your marinara sauce. See recipe notes for link to sauce making.
I added chunks of lamb to the sauce for extra flavours.
Take the olive oil and put it in a pan. Add the ground beef and start to brown it. Add in the garlic, salt and pepper this and add the Italian seasoning.
Meanwhile, peel the carrots and onion.
Add the onion to a food processor and pulse.
Follow with the celery and carrots.
You want this fine. It is our soffritto and you want it to melt into the meat and sauce.
Once the beef has browned, add the soffritto and cook until all the water is absorbed.
Now add the wine and let it simmer.
You want this meat mixture thick.
In a small bowl mix the ricotta, eggs, 1/4 cup parmesan and parsley. Combine this well.

The Bechamel Sauce

Place the butter in a sauce pan,
When it melts add the flour and let it cook a minute.
Whisk continuously.
Slowly add the milk and continue whisking.
Put in the parmesan and parsley.
Whisk until it comes to a boil.
Continue whisking until it thickens.

The Assembly

Take 1 a cup of marinara sauce and put it on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. It's the sauce that cooks the noodles and keeps the lasagna moist.
Next put a layer of lasagna noodles on the pan. Nestle them together and ensure that there are no gaps.
Put 1/2 a cup of marinara over the noodles and then spread 1/2 the meat mixture over this.
Spread 1/2 your cubes of both cheeses over this.
Now, put a second layer of lasagna noodles alternating the direction of the last layer. ( If you laid them horizontally, now lay them vertically)
No sauce over this layer. Spread the ricotta mixture and even it out.
Place the third layer of lasagna noodles, once again altering the direction.
Pour another 1/2 cup of marinara over this layer and spread the remainder of the meat and cheese cubes.
Place the last layer of noodles, once again altering the direction of the noodles.
Now it's time to pour the bechamel sauce over the lasagna. Spread it out.
I take a butter knife and run it all around the perimeter of the pan.
Place a piece of parchment over the pan and then tightly seal with aluminum foil.
This goes into a 350 F oven for 50 minutes.
Take the foil and parchment off and add 1/2 a cup of marinara over the bechamel.
Take a butter knife and poke a few holes over the surface, inserting the knife almost to the bottom.
Place back in the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, cover with parchment and tin foil and let it sit one hour before cutting.

Recipe Notes

Marinara sauce: https://recipesatmytable.com/marinara-sauce-passata-making/

A good read on this dish: https://www.dailyprogress.com/lasagna-from-italy-to-america/article_ff967fe8-f951-5bfe-b669-154371e44f5c.html

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019

2 Comments

Nonna’s Oven Baked Ribs with Potatoes

Nonna’s oven baked ribs with potatoes

There is one thing that is called finger-licking good at our house: Nonna’s Oven Baked Ribs with Potatoes. Slowly baked in the oven these ribs begin by marinading in some simple ingredients. We then brown them and set them in a pan to slowly roast at a low temperature. Nonna’s oven baked ribs with potatoes will bring them and keep them at the table.

If you lived in little Italy the aroma’s of these ribs drifted throughout the neighbourhood. I remember neighbours coming by to see what nonna was cooking. She gladly welcomed them, and we all sat together for afternoon coffee and sponge cake. Those days were informal; everyone just dropped by. No one called and no one was turned away.

If nonno Salvatore was at home, the homemade wine came out. Even as kids, we got a little with our supper each night. Now there is always the question: what wine will go with what??? Barbecue season is almost here and this is a good resource for wines : https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/summer-living/what-are-the-best-wines-for-barbecue/article12038443/

The secret to this recipe is the browning of the ribs and then the baking at a low temperature. It leaves them succulent and juicy. They fall off the bone. Nonna didn’t add the tomato paste, but that is my contribution to the recipe along with the paprika. You can also use a dry rub on these ribs : https://recipesatmytable.com/dry-rub-barbecued-pork-loin/

The ribs cut and ready for the spices.

They sizzle when they hit the pan. It is very important to brown them and seal in the juices.

Each one is succulent.

The colour jumps out as you turn them.

Up close to look at the spices.

Its also important to put a nice crust on the potatoes.

Put the ribs in the bottom to begin the cooking process.

Next layer the potatoes over top.

Everything goes on a platter and straight to the table.

Nonna's oven baked ribs

A finger licking good recipe from our kitchen.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Nonna's oven baked ribs

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 4

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
3 lbs baby back pork ribs
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
6 large potatoes cut in quarters
2 tbsp Italian seasoning potatoes
1/2 tsp paprika potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil potatoes
salt and pepper potatoes

Instructions

Make a marinade from the tomato paste, canola oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Rub all over the pork and put in the refrigerator to marinade for at least 4 hours.
When ready brown the ribs in a large pan. Do not overcrowd.
Wash and dry the potatoes.
Quarter the potatoes and rub with the seasoning and olive oil.
When the ribs are done put the potatoes in the same pan to brown.
Place the ribs in a large baking pan and put the potatoes on top of the ribs.
Cover with foil or a lid.
Bake everything in a 250 F oven for one hour.
Uncover and raise oven temperature to 350 F and cook for 30 minutes.

March 28, 2019

Calabrese Sunday Sauce

The traditional Italian Sunday meal consists of red sauce and meat. My Calabrese Sunday Sauce makes me smile as I put in all the ingredients like nonna did. I love going to the local butcher here in Leamington for the Sunday sauce meat. Nonna used a trio of meats; a good Sunday sauce has beef, pork and veal.

We lived in some of the tiniest apartments when we came from Italy, but the kitchen always had big flavours. I remember the kitchen always full of people; in those days there were no kitchen Islands; everyone sat at the kitchen table while nonna cooked. Visitors enjoyed coffee and cakes, and sometimes the visiting women helped with the food or with cooking advice. It was loud and crowded, but it was fun.

My childhood was loaded with fun and good times, especially in the kitchen. Today I work at a big kitchen Island with all the gadgets one could dream of, but my heart lives in those little tiny kitchens. It was there my love for cooking began and my nonna passed on her recipes one ingredient at a time.

Local meat products go into this recipe today.

The beef shank hits the pan.

Browning the beef shank with the Italian sausage.

The aroma and the sizzling made it hard for me not to eat some, and I did.

Don’t turn the meat until it is ready and then add some red wine.

Our Italian liquid gold; my homemade marinara from our local Leamington tomatoes. Nothing compares to this.

When the sauce hits the pan there is a tremendous aroma that fills the air.

My Calabrese style bracciole ready for browning.

Sizzling hot and my lens covers with steam.

My plate and heart fill with joy, and I am transported back to that tiny kitchen with big flavours in Little Italy on James St. in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

5 from 1 vote

Calabrese Sunday Sauce

This is an array of meats with our pasta.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Calabrese Sunday Sauce

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Sauce

6 Italian Sausage links cut in thirds
1 whole beef shank
10 braciole
1/2 cup red wine
2 jars marinara sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic

The Braciole

10 pieces thinly sliced beef rump, top round or bottom round
1 lb ground veal
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

The Sauce

In a large pot place the olive oil and when hot add the beef shank.
Start browning this meat.
Next add the sausage, garlic and Italian seasoning.
When everything turns golden brown, add in the red wine.
Now pour in the marinara sauce.
Sprinkle with sugar and cook slowly for about one hour.
After one hour add the braciole.
Cook for another 2 hours.

The braciole

I take ground veal and add the egg, water, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, chopped parsley and salt.
Mix it all up using your hands.
Place the steak on a board and scoop out about half a cup of the ground meat mixture into the middle.
Roll up tucking everything in.
Use string or toothpicks.
In a large pan add 2 tbsp canola oil.
Brown the braciole.
Remove from heat and let cool.
If you use kitchen string, cut it and remove it before place the braciole in the sauce.
If you used toothpicks, place the braciole in the sauce and then remove them after you take the braciole out of the sauce.

March 12, 2019

13 Comments

Dried Fruit Pork Roast

Pork is such a versatile meat and the dried fruit enhances the flavours of this roast. Dried Fruit Pork Roast is succulent and sweet, while retaining some savoury flavour from the spices. Inspired by some Moroccan flavours and the condiments available in Sicily, this roast will please many palettes.

I love using dried fruit because its natural sweetness adds an added level of flavour to the pork. Added to this dish is the acidity , tannins and sweetness of the white wine; at the same time the wine tenderizes the pork and makes the sauce velvety smooth. The sauce is simply the juices of the pork, the wine and the colouring of the dried fruit.

If you want to experiment with dried fruit, try these recipes too: https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/dried-fruit-recipes.html

Sometimes we treat ourselves to the best because we deserve it. I make a point of using my best dishes, glasses and of course wine each day. Tonight we drink a bottle of wine carried all the way from Spain; it crossed airports with love. We celebrate life every day!!

This is a piece for pork loin with the fat left on it for added taste. I simply salt and pepper it.

It goes into the pan with the garlic and then I remove the garlic. I like to eat the toasted garlic over bread.

The dates, apricots and dried cranberries assembled.

I use a white wine and I am proud to support our local wineries.

First I put in the dried fruit.

Then I hit it with the white wine and it sizzles. All the brown bits from the bottom blend into this sauce.

It goes into a 325 F oven and I go into to glaze the meat with its juices.

The asparagus goes nicely with this dish and olive oil, garlic and fresh lemon juice dress it.

Out of the oven and it is time for it to rest.

The full meal is simple. I add some roasted potatoes and peppers and the wine was a gift right from Spain. I am loving this!!

Plated and we enjoy every bite.

Dried Fruit Pork Roast

Dried fruit makes this dish stand out at any table.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Dried Fruit Pork Roast

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

5-7 lb Pork loin roast
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup each dates, apricots and dried cranberries chop dates and apricots
1 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Salt and pepper the roast.
Place into a large roasting pan with the garlic and sear in the canola oil.
Remove the garlic.
Add the dates, apricots and dried cranberries.
Sprinkle the roast with cinnamon.
Cook over medium low heat for a few minutes and allow fruit to soften .
Raise temperature to medium and hit the pan with the wine.
Cover and place in the oven for 50 minutes.
Take the cover off and let roast another 20 minutes.
Baste once or twice with the juices.
Let the roast sit for about 15 minutes before slicing.

February 17, 2019