It’s Daring Bakers time again! This month the challenge was to make lasagna. I know this sounds kind of boring but leave it to the Daring Bakers to throw a wrench into the works. Our task was to create an Italian inspired lasagna with handmade spinach noodles, a thick rich ragu, and a creamy white bechamel sauce; a piece of cake, right?

Now I’m no stranger to handmade noodles, but these spinach noodles were a bit different. These spinach noodles contained not a spinach puree, but chopped spinach that was worked into the dough. The addition of the whole spinach made rolling the dough a bit tricky, and I even cheated and used a pasta machine. While my pictures may show some beautifully crafted noodles, what you don’t see if the pan or two of noodles that got ripped, torn, and wadded into a doughy mess. I was able to get more than enough noodles out of the recipe so there wasn’t an issue.

The country style ragu may well have been one of the most expensive pasta sauces I have ever created. The sauce contained meat, meat, and more meat, some wine, assorted veggies, and a few tomatoes. I resisted the urge to add some things I would have liked in the sauce like a nice handful of garlic or a good deal more tomatoes. The sauce cooked for what seemed like an eternity but in the end yielded a nice thick ragu.

If you’ve ever made lasagna before, assembly wasn’t anything difficult. All that was required was alternating layers of bechamel, cooked noodles, ragu, and cheese until the pan was full. My pans were only small eight inch pans so I was able to get two whole lasagnas out of this recipe.

After a trip to the oven and a little bit of rest time, the lasagna was ready to eat. The vedict? Not my favorite but very good. This version is a bit too meaty for my style but it definitely made for a hearty casserole. It was probably the most involved lasagna I’ve ever made and I’m not sure I’ll do this again any time soon

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)
(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

#3 Country Style Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)

Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.

Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Another week, another lesson for the apprentice. What was on the menu? Roasting!

Roasting has got to be one of the best kept secrets of chefs. Complex flavors, beautiful colors, a myriad of textures, all taken care of by the oven and some patience. Sure there is a little matter of prep work, but in real cooking that cannot be omitted.

It all started with me discussing what we would be cooking, lists of ingredients, and the lack of techniques. Initially my apprentice was a bit underwhelmed by the complexity of the techniques and even, at one point, asked if we could do something else. I tried to assure him that, while the techniques are basic, they are well worth learning.

The main technique in a good roast, in my opinion, is time. If you give the roast time to cook (and rest) it will almost always come out properly…unless you overcook it. Some side ingredients of our dinner were potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and onions; yes, I got the apprentice to eat onions!

I know there isn’t much excitement to preparing this meal, the excitement comes during the eating.

The other day I decided to try turning a Quebecois favorite, the Tourtiere (or pork pie), into a Spanish hand-held treat, an empanada.

Growing up, these pork pies were almost always a winter food; more specifically, Christmas food. I’m really not sure why but my dad says that’s just the way it was in his house and that’s pretty much the way it was in ours. Even wikipedia agrees with my dad citing, “It is a traditional Christmas and/or Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dish in Quebec”, so he must be right, non?

So what is this Quebecois pork pie thing? Usually a tourtiere consists of cooked ground pork and potatoes heavily spiced with cloves, allspice, and sometimes cinnamon all wrapped up in a double-crusted pie. I thought they’d make for a good filling for an empanada so I gave it a try.

The filling is a piece of cake to make, brown up some pork, add some spices, stir in the potatoes, and you’re done. The empanada pastry was a little bit more work, but with the help of a kitchen-aid it wasn’t all that bad. I was expecting something more like a pie dough but once it started coming together it was obvious that it was more like a bread dough. The bread-like dough made over-stuffing the pies all the easier (which is a good idea).

The verdict? I think they were a success. I would have preferred more of a pie-like dough, but they still were very good. They were a bit more work than just making a few meat pies but they were worth the effort. This tray of pies fed me for dinner and then a few lunches during the week!

Tourtiere filling

1 lb ground pork
3 potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch dice
1 tsp fresh ground cloves
1 tsp fresh ground allspice
salt and pepper
3 tbls oil

Place potatoes in a large pot of cold water and cook until fork tender. Drain the water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sautee the pork until lightly browned. Add the spices and potatoes and check seasoning.

Remove from pan and cool before filling the dough.

Empanada dough

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup warm water

1 cup of oil for frying

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add all the wet ingredients.
Mix for a few minutes until well combined and dough ball forms.

Take it out and knead for about 3 minutes. Let the dough rest wrapped in plastic-wrap for 15 minutes.

Divide into 12 pieces, then roll into 4 inch circles.

Place 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of filling in the center of each circle. Gently fold over the dough to from a half circle. Seal edges tightly with a fork. Repeat until all the dough is filled. (all the filling may not be used)

Pre-heat the oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature.
Fry for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.