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Chef David Marcelli's Lasagna
10 hours 0 mins Prep Time
1 hours 0 mins Cook Time
Chef David Marcelli -- pasta chef at Buca -- shows us how to make his insanely comforting "quarantine lasagna" as he dubs it. Comprised of a slow-cooked meaty bolognese, a creamy béchamel sauce, a generous amount of cheese and freshly made pasta sheets; there is nothing better to eat when in total isolation. Perfect for portioning out and freezing for later, or hey no judgement if it doesn't last you that long, below is Marcelli's original recipe with a video demonstration included of him assembling the many lasagna layers.
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If you give this recipe a shot, make sure to post up your creation on Instagram and tag @tastetoronto and @pastaiodavid!
Directions
Sauce
6 Steps
Step 1
Make the soffritto: chop the onion, celery and carrot very small using a blender, food processor or by hand.
Step 2
Cook the soffritto in a good amount of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot on low heat. Keep the lid on and stir every so often. There should be no colour developing. The longer it cooks the better.
Step 3
Add the ground beef and cook with the soffritto on medium heat. Stir often to break up large chunks. We are not trying to brown the meat, just cook it through.
Step 4
Once the liquid that came out of the beef has been cooked off, add the wine and cook it off as well.
Step 5
Add the passata and puréed tomatoes. Season (don't go too heavy because you can adjust later).
Step 6
Cook for 4-5 hours on low heat with the lid on but slightly ajar.
Béchamel
2 Steps
Step 1
Make the roux by cooking the butter and flour together in a sauce pot.
Step 2
Whisk in the milk and continue to cook. Stirring constantly, cook for 7-10 minutes until it thickens, add the nutmeg and salt (go easy on the nutmeg).
Pasta
4 Steps
Step 1
Using a mixer or by hand, combine the ingredients and knead into a smooth homogeneous dough.
Step 2
Cover with plastic and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Roll out into sheets of pasta. Should be fairly thin (#6 on KitchenAid roller).
Step 4
Boil a large pot of water, salt liberally. Cook pasta sheets, working in batches. Cook for about 90 seconds, then shock in cold water to stop the cooking.
Final Assembly
9 Steps
Step 1
Brush the bottom and sides of a large baking dish with butter.
Step 2
Cover the bottom in a thin layer of sauce.
Step 3
Add a bit of béchamel and Parmigiano.
Step 4
Apply the first layer of pasta. You can cut and add sheets to make a complete layer.
Step 5
Add some more sauce, béchamel and Parmigiano (mozzarella too if you want).
Step 6
Repeat those two steps until the dish is almost filled to the top (this will take 5-7 layers).
Step 7
Don't worry if you have some pasta sticking up at the edges, they make for some crispy corners!
Step 8
Finish the lasagna by doing a final layer of sauce, béchamel and cheese.
Step 9
Bake in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 45-60 minutes. If you have a convection oven, turn the fan on for the last 15 minutes.
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