LASAGNE PASTICCIATE


Lasagne:
6-8 	quarts water
1  	Tbls salt
½ 	pound lasagna

Besciamella for Lasagne:
3 	Tbls butter
6 	Tbls flour
2 	cups milk
1 	cup heavy cream
     Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 	tsp salt
2½ 	cups Ragu Bolognese 
½ 	cup imported freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Ragu Bolognese
¼ 	cup smoked ham, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 	cup coarsely chopped onions
¼ 	cup coarsely chopped carrots
½ 	cup coarsely chopped celery
4 	Tbls butter
2 	Tbls olive oil
¾ 	pound ground beef round, ground twice
¼ 	pound lean pork, ground twice
½ 	cup dry white wine or water
2 	cups beef stock
2 	Tbls table paste

Lasagna: Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9x12x3 inch pan. In a large soup pot or kettle, bring water to boil add salt to bubbling boil over high heat.  Add the lasagna noodles, stirring gently for a few moments to keep lasagna from sticking.  cook until noodles are some what resistant to the bite.  Drain pasta and lay strips side by side on paper towels . Next make Ragu Bolognese Combine chopped ham, onions, carrots, and celery on cutting board chop into very small pieces.  (this mixture is called a battuto; when cooked it is soffritto.) Melt 2 Tbls of the butter over moderate heat in a heavy 10 to 12 in skillet.  When foam subsides, add the battuto and cook stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until it is lightly browned.  With a rubber spatula, Put soffritto in heavy 3 to 4 quart saucepan.  Heat olive oil in the same skillet, and lightly brown beef and pork over moderate heat breaking up any lumps.  Pour in the wine and increase heat and boil briskly, still stirring constantly, Until almost all the liquid has cooked away.  Add the meat to the soffritto in the sauce pan, stir in stock and tomato paste.  Bring to boil over high heat and then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Basciamella for lasagna: In heavy 2-3 quart sauce pan melt butter over moderate heat and stir in flour.  Remove the pan from heat and pour in milk and cream all at once, beating with whisk until the flour is partially dissolved.  Return pan to high heat and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.  When the sauce comes to a boil and thickens into a smooth cream, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and season with nutmeg and salt.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread a layer of Ragu Bolognese about ¼ inch on bottom of the casserole dish spread over about 1 cup besciamella lay one third of the lasagna noodles overlapping strips slightly.  Repeat layers of ragu and besciamela and lasagna twice more; top with the rest of the ragu and besciamella.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.  Bake 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling hot. 

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