Lasagne, But Make it Fashion
This ain't your Nonna's lasagne, but it should be. Featuring a classic Bolognese ragú, fried semolina pasta, whipped ricotta, and a bright salsa verde, this recipe is optimized for maximum contrast, complex flavor, and unique presentation. It's also probably the fastest homemade lasagne recipe ever. You're welcome.
The ragú takes the longest here, and you can easily accomplish the other components while it's simmering away so that the final dish can be served just after the ragú is done reducing. I've laid out the steps in an order that should help you accomplish that.
Yield
4 servingsTime
About 3 hours total (2 hours active)Ingredients
Instructions
Dice carrots, onion, and celery.
Add butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pan over low flame just until it melts.
Add diced vegetables and sweat until translucent.
Add meat to the pan and continue cooking at a low simmer until pan is almost dry, stirring every 4-5 minutes. This should take about 20-30 minutes total.
Repeat this process with the milk, then again with the wine.
Repeat the process one last time with the tomatoes, breaking them apart as they cook. When the pan is almost dry again, salt to taste.
While your ragú is simmering, add flour to a mixing bowl and incorporate water with your hands (you may need to add slightly more flour or water depending on consistency).
Rest the dough in a covered bowl for 30 minutes.
Combine ricotta and heavy cream in a container and either whisk or blitz with an immersion blender until smooth and consistent. Salt to taste.
Pour whipped ricotta into a ziploc or piping bag and place in the refrigerator to chill. You want this cold at serving time.
Remove stems from parsley and combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are a consistent coarse mince and vinegar and oil emulsify.
Roll out your pasta dough on a lightly-floured surface (or a pasta machine) to about 2mm, then cut pasta into ~7.5cm squares with a knife or cookie cutter.
Repeat the process with the leftovers until all pasta is used. You should end up with at least 20 squares.
Poke a bunch of small holes in the pasta with the tines of a fork to prevent them from inflating while frying.
Add oil to a skillet and heat to 180°C/350°F. Fry pasta 4-5 pieces at a time until golden-brown then drain them on a drying rack or paper towel.
Spoon ragú onto 4 plates.
Cut a small hole in the corner of your ziploc/piping bag and pipe the ricotta evenly onto a piece of fried lasagne. Alternate layers of pasta and cheese until you have 4 layers of cheese between 5 pieces of pasta.
Repeat until you have four lasagne/ricotta cubes.
Stand them up on the ragu with the stripes going vertically. Spoon salsa verde over the top, perpendicular to the direction of the stripes.
Serve.