This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
For those who, like Marina Orsini’s mother, want to win the prize for the best lasagna at Christmas!
“I can’t count the times I’ve been asked for my mother’s lasagna recipe in my life! says Marina Orsini. Here it is finally! It’s a recipe we made with Ricardo, my mother and me. He invited us to his show 20 years ago. One of the very rare times he had to make the same recipe over two episodes! They still talk to me about it today! To make this recipe is to embark on a one-day (or, ideally, two-day) long adventure. The idea is to let your sauces rest for assembly the next day. On the palate, it is a unique and memorable experience. »
Preparation : 5 hours (over 2 days!)
Cooking : 3 hours
Portions : 30 as a starter, 16 to 20 as a main course
Ingredients
For the lasagna
1 preparation of mini meatball sauce
1 preparation of tomato sauce
1 preparation of fresh egg pasta
2.2 to 3.3 lb (1 to 1.5 kg) mozzarella, shredded
2 cups (500 mL) Parmesan cheese, grated
6 tbsp. (90ml) butter
It is possible to divide the recipe by 3 to make a lasagna for 10 people (starter) or about 6 people (main course).
For the mini meatball sauce
Sauce
3 cans (28 oz/796 ml) crushed tomatoes
½ can 5.5 oz (156 ml) tomato paste
1 ½ cups (375ml) water
2 bay leaves
Dried basil, to taste
Salt and pepper
Mini dumplings
1 ½ lb (750 g) ground veal
1 ½ lb (750 g) ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup (180 ml) parmesan cheese, very finely grated or powdered
¼ cup (60 mL) Italian breadcrumbs
1 onion, very finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tomato sauce
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. (30ml) olive oil
1 lb (450 g) pork ribs
3 cans (28 oz/796 ml) crushed tomatoes
½ can 5.5 oz (156 ml) tomato paste
1 cup (250ml) water
Mixed Italian spices, to taste
Fresh egg pasta
15 to 16 cups (3.75 to 4 L) all-purpose flour
30 large eggs
¾ cup to 1 cup (180 to 250 ml) olive oil
Preparation
1. In a large saucepan over low heat, cook the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, bay leaves, basil, salt and pepper.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer gently while you prepare the mini meatballs.
3. In a bowl, combine the meats, eggs, parmesan, breadcrumbs and onion. Salt and pepper.
4. Shape meatballs about the size of a 5¢ coin, or ¾ inch (2 cm).
5. Place the meatballs as you go, and in small quantities, in the simmering sauce.
6. Cook for about 1 hour 30 minutes over low heat, stirring gently so as not to damage your meatballs.
7. Once cooking is complete, set aside for assembling the lasagna.
8. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil.
9. Add ribs, sauté until brown on each side, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water and Italian spices. Salt and pepper.
10. Cook for about 2 hours over low heat, or until the meat is tender, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
11. Remove ribs. (You can enjoy them at another time, because they only served to give flavor to your sauce!)
12. Reserve for assembling the lasagna (or serve with your favorite pasta, accompanied by the ribs!).
13. In a very large bowl, place the flour.
14. Make a well in the center of the flour.
15. Add the eggs to the center of the well, and incorporate the flour little by little, beating with a fork. Thereafter, you will use your hands.
16. Slowly pour in the oil, in a trickle. Mix well to form a paste.
17. Place the dough on your work surface and knead until smooth.
18. Cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth and let stand for 15 minutes.
19. Knead again for 3-5 minutes.
20. Cut dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick slices, roll out slightly.
21. Pass the pieces through a pasta machine (roller), making sure to obtain the thinnest lasagna possible and the same length as your baking dish, except for the first layer. For the first layer, my mother made the pasta exceed in width and length (enough to allow them to be folded over at the end of the assembly of the lasagna).
22. Spread the lasagna on a table with a cotton tablecloth or hang them on broom handles, or even a drying rack. Leave to dry for 20 to 35 minutes maximum, otherwise the pasta will be dry and too fragile.
23. In a large pot of salted water (almost like the taste of the sea), cook the pasta for only 3-4 minutes, as the rest of the cooking will continue in the oven.
24. Drain, cut according to the size of your baking dish and assemble the lasagna.
When it comes out of the boiling water, gently plunge the pasta into a large dish of ice water for a few seconds to stop the cooking. At this point, my mom and I were ready to assemble the lasagna. Do not wait, because cooked and cooled pasta may spoil.
Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Butter a large roasting pan with high sides (12 in x 18 in x 4 in, or 30 cm x 45 cm x 10 cm). Pour 4 ladles of tomato sauce. Also add a few knobs of softened butter.
3. For the first layer only, use lasagna noodles longer in width and in length to line the bottom and let overhang on each side, about 6 in (15 cm) in width and 12 in (30 cm) in length.
4. Continue alternating with the meatball sauce, the cooked lasagna noodles, the tomato sauce and the parmesan and mozzarella, so that you have a total of 11 to 17 layers (depending on the cooking dish, this represents 5 to 8 layers of pasta and 6 to 9 layers of sauces and cheese).
5. Finish with the tomato sauce, cover with the first pasta from the bottom, like wrapping a gift, add a little sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
6. Cover with foil.
7. Bake on the bottom rack for 1 hour 50 minutes.
Greedy ! My family recipes Marina Orsini, Editions Quebec America, Montreal, 2022, 248 pages
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.