I know that lasagna appears to take an inordinate amount of time for what is supposed to be a weekend casserole, however the mix of flavors and the promise of leftovers usually makes the effort worth the while. And while this different take on lasagna is multi-stepped, most of the time is spent simmering on the stovetop or in the oven rather than requiring your time. And the benefit, beyond the first bite, is the jealousy you will instill in your neighbors who will inevitably smell the components being prepared.
This recipe owes a nod to the inspiration of a down-defunct restaurant in Williamsburg, NYC known as Miss Williamsburg Restaurant. I have substituted no-boil pasta for fresh (thank God) and made a few tweaks. But these recipes are clearly very similar.
And on to the no-boil lasagna. We like these simple sheets that come from Barilla. No crinkly pleats along the edges and rectangular in shape rather than strips. These have a fresh-made pasta feel. And the no-boil attributes are great (although this recipe does require parboiling eight of these sheets.
The meat base
For a 10 x 10 pan, I have found that about a pound and a quarter of meat is the proper amount to make this recipe. We are drawn to the meatloaf mix found in most grocer meat cases (near the burger meat). Meatloaf mix is a blend of ground veal, pork, and beef. We find it has additional flavor however if it is not available, a similar amount of ground beef will do. As we are draining off the fat, the leanness of your burger meat is less relevant than the cost/lb.
Brown the meat, and let drain in a sieve. Set aside.
Now onto the vegetable base of the sauce, the mirepoix, a simple mix of onions, celery, and carrots. Call it 1 1/2 half cuts of diced onions, and 3/4 cups of diced celery and carrots, and a teaspoon of kosher salt.
Sweat the veggies over medium heat in the same pot in which the meat was browned (having since been de-greased). They should sweat for about minutes, until the onions are translucent but before they brown. Add about four cloves of pressed garlic to the sweat and stir for one minute. The sweat is done.
Add about 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the pan to deglaze, bring to a simmer, and then add about 1 cup of tomato puree.
If you read this blog, then you will know that when it comes to crushed tomatoes, I am a big fan of the Cento canned variety. They are tasty, and the consistency is very thick, relieving us of the need to use tomato paste to thicken.
Add about two cups of water to the mix, and about a tablespoon each of dried basil and oregano. Bring up to simmer and let go for 10 minutes.
Using either a standing blender or an immersion blender, grind the contents in the pot until you are left with a smooth puree.
Return the meat to the pot, bring the pot to a simmer, and let go for one or two hours, or longer if you'd like, just make sure you keep adding water to prevent burning. The idea is to break down the meat in a very significant way. The final product should resemble cat food. Yuck. I know. To help break down the sauce you can hit the meat with a potato masher.
When ready to assemble the lasagna, evaporate the moisture in the pot until the sauce leaves a clean bottom when stirring. Set aside.
The béchamel
This white sauce adds extra richness to the dish that cheese alone cannot match. And it is an easy lift if you are comfortable working with roux's our other thickened sauces.
For this recipe, and this size pan, we start with 1/2 stick of butter, melted in a 3 quart saucepan.
We then add flour, approximately 1/2 cup, to the melted butter and whisk in. If the roux is wet and runny, add more flour. It should look dry, and the flour should be in balls on the bottom of the pan.
No worries. Heat the pan on low heat while whisking occasionally to allow these balls to cook through. You will know when it the roux is ready for the liquid when the balls go from tight to the consistency of peanut butter and there is a nutty smell coming from the pan. DON'T LET IT BROWN.
Add about 1/2 (of a quart) the milk to the pan and bring it up to heat over medium flame. Whisk occasionally. As the milk heats the mix will thicken. Considerably. When it reaches that point add the remainder of the quart and whisk, again bringing it to a simmer where it will thicken to a consistency of heavy cream. Season with a little salt, pepper, and some nutmeg if you have it. You are done!
The build
Parboil four sheets of pasta for two minutes. Lay them across the pan so they meet in the middle and have a little flap over the edge. Parboil four more sheets and lay them in the opposite direction. What you will have is a double layer of pasta on the bottom with "flaps" on each side of the lasagna pan.
Ladle a generous helping of béchamel over the bottom. Add about 2/3 of the meat base to this layer. Finally, add a generous amount of shredded mozz on top. Layer one complete.
Put a couple of dry pasta sheets on top. Fill in the gaps with some scrap pasta. hit again with some béchamel and the balance of the meat sauce. And then another set of pasta sheet.
Flaps
Those flaps are important. Flip them inward to cover the dry pasta. Then cover the top with the balance of the béchamel. Don't worry, you should have enough.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375 to 400 degrees, turning midway through until golden and delicious. Here is a guide:
LET IT SIT FOR TEN MINUTES TO SET UP. Otherwise you will cut into this and the innards will drool out all over the plate.
Here is the finished product:
And here is the video:
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