posted by admin on lug 17

Neapolitan Lasagna

Lasagne are large stripes of pasta, usually homemade, but you can find some excellent packaged too. There are two basic ways of cooking Lasagne, one from the North of Italy, one from the South; The difference is made by the use of béchamel sauce and nutmeg, typical of the first one, instead of ricotta, mozzarella and pepper. Here you can enjoy the original Neapolitan recipe. This way of cooking Lasagne, very common in the South of Italy, makes a rich and sustaining dish.

Time required: 90 minutes (with packaged Lasagne)

Recommended wine: a light red (Gran Caruso or Gran Tifeo d’Ischia), served at room temperature.

Ingredients (four servings):

• 500 gr. (17 oz) packaged Lasagne
• 500 gr. (17 oz) ricotta or home-made cream cheese
• 350 gr (12 oz) mozzarella or fior di latte cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 pork sausages
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese fresh basil leaves
• 40 gr (1 1/2 oz) butter

for the Ragù sauce

• 350 gr. (12 oz) lean beef
• 500 gr. (2 tins) Italian peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 onion
• 1 wineglassful white wine
• 70 gr. (about 3 oz) butter
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

Istruction

1. In a saucepan cook chopped onion in olive oil, till golden.
2. Cut the beef into pieces and flour them; then brown them gently in the saucepan.
3. When browned, sprinkle the beef with the white wine.
4. After the wine has dried, add tomatoes and salt and cook the sauce over low heat. In the Neapolitan tradition Ragù sauce should be cooked for many hours. Neapolitans usually prepare the sauce the day before in order to have time enough for it. Anyway, cook the sauce as much as you can (1 hour at least)
5. When the Ragù sauce is ready, add a couple of fresh basil leaves and keep the sauce hot.
6. Pour the ricotta cheese in a bowl, add salt, pepper and 2 tablespoon of hot water. Mix them till a cream.
7. Cut the mozzarella or fior di latte cheese and the hard-boiled eggs into very thin slices.
8. Chop the sausages to very small pieces and let them brown gently in a small saucepan in about 3 oz of butter.
9. Meanwhile, in a large (5 quart) stockpot bring the water to boiling, then add salt and cook Lasagne according to the package directions.
10. Once drained the Lasagne one by one, lay them on a dish cloth.
11. Butter well a baking pan and on the bottom put a first coating of Ragù sauce, then one of Lasagne. Start again with the Ragù and ricotta, sliced mozzarella, sliced hard boiled eggs and sausages. Continue until the pan is filled, finishing with Lasagne covered with a thin layer of Ragù. Sprinkle with a final generous coating of grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with butter-pats and basil leaves.
12. Put the pan into a previously heated but moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
13. Serve immediately .