Italian Food Forever has been part of my life for over twenty-five years now. Like anyone who has maintained a blog for that long, there have certainly been times when I felt a little burned out and considered stepping away. What has always kept me going, however, are the wonderful people I’ve met along the way and the many loyal readers who have continued to cook from my recipes year after year. Knowing that my recipes are being made in kitchens around the world has always been the greatest motivation to keep sharing.
Over the years, the site has gone through several redesigns, at least four that I can recall, and each update has required revisiting older recipes. With every new design I have retested dishes, rewritten instructions, and taken new photographs to keep the recipes fresh and reliable. In the process, a few older favorites somehow slipped through the cracks and never made it back onto the updated site. This lasagna is one of those forgotten gems.
Unlike the more familiar tomato-based lasagna, this version is rich, creamy, and completely tomato-free. Delicate sheets of pasta are layered with a savory beef sauce and a silky béchamel, creating a dish that is both elegant and deeply comforting. The flavor of the beef sauce is enhanced with a thickened beef extract that adds an extra layer of richness and depth. The product I typically use is found only in Italy, but a concentrated beef base such as Better Than Bouillon works very well as a substitute.
I first tasted a version of this lasagna many years ago while traveling through Tuscany, at a small restaurant in the beautiful hill town of San Gimignano when we were living in Milan. I was immediately taken by its unique flavor and how different it was from the lasagnas I had made at home. After returning from that trip, I set about recreating the dish in my own kitchen. After a bit of experimenting, I developed this recipe, which comes very close to the memorable version I enjoyed in Tuscany.
It quickly became a favorite in our home, and I made it often for years. Somehow, though, it slipped out of my regular rotation and was almost forgotten. Recently I came across the recipe again while organizing my files and realized it was far too delicious not to share. I’m delighted to finally bring it back to the blog where it belongs.
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Buon Appetito!
Deborah MeleÂ
Ingredients
- Fresh Pasta Noodles (Store Bought or From Recipe Below)
- Meat Sauce (See Below)
- Béchamel (See Below)
- 1 Cup Shredded Fresh Mozzarella
- 1 Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese
- 4 cups Unbleached Flour
- 5 Extra Large Eggs
- Pinch Of Salt
- 1 Medium Onion, Minced
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 Pounds Of Ground Beef
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Beef Extract
- 1 1/2 Cups Beef Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Softened Butter Mixed With 2 Tablespoons Flour
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 Cup All-purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 Cups Milk
- Salt
- Dash of Nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare pasta with ingredients listed. Using a pasta machine take to the second last notch, or to about 1/16th inch thick if making by hand. Cut into sheets and place on clean towels. Precook pasta squares in salted boiling water for 10 seconds only. Immediately place into iced water. Dry and lay on clean kitchen towels until ready to use.
- Sauté the onion in the oil until soft and beginning to color. Add the ground beef and cook for about 10 minutes or until browned. Start adding the broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Cook for about 45 minutes. Begin to add the extract until a full rich beef flavor is reached. Be careful not to add too much or it will be too salty. Carefully adding 1 teaspoon at a time, add the butter mixture, stirring well until the mixture is thickened but still wet. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan add the flour and cook for a minute or two. Do not let brown. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, white pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Set aside to cool, placing a greased piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent film from forming.
- To Prepare The Lasagna: Pour in a little beef broth into a 13 by 8 inch lasagne pan. Layer the noodles along the bottom. Spread one layer of the meat sauce, then another layer of noodles. Spread a layer of béchamel over these noodles then sprinkle with a little of the mozzarella and the pecorino cheese. Continue in this manner until all the noodles are used, topping the dish with the béchamel layer and cheeses. Dot the top with butter and bake in 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned.Â
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 square
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 873Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 258mgSodium: 848mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 49g