Lasagna Rotolo
by Christina Valagao
Normally I find lasagna to be heavy and weigh you down, this version is light and the perfect main or can also be a side dish to an Italian feast. The effort is worth it, I promise!
Bolognese Sauce - Ingredients:
- 1lb 70/30 organic ground beef
- ½ lb organic ground pork
- ½ lb organic ground lamb
- 2 links of spicy Italian sausage
- 250 g Italian Pancetta, cut in small pieces
- 3 cloves whole star anise
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 28oz tins San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 cup white wine
Béchamel (White Sauce) - Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter
- 4 cups milk
- 2 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs thyme
- Ground pepper and pinch of sea salt
Tomato Sauce - Ingredients:
- 1 tin San Marzano tomato
- 6 basil leaves, fresh
- 3 garlic cloves, whole and skin-on
- 1 tsp chili flake
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Cheese - Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Pecorino, finely grated
- 1 cup Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 cup Mozzarella, grated
Piped Cheese - Ingredients & Tools:
- 1 cup Mascarpone
- 1 cup Ricotta
- 2 cloves roasted garlic
- 1 piping bag
Pasta - Ingredients:
- 8 fresh lasagna sheets (*)
Method:
- BOLOGNESE SAUCE:
1. In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven, brown beef, pork, and lamb. I like to make these into meatballs, so all sides get brown and then break it up with a wooden spoon. Once meat is browned, remove from heat.
2. Brown pancetta and remove blotting excess fat on paper towel.
3. Remove sausage from casing and brown in the same pan, remembering to remove some of the excess fat with each browning.
4. Once meat is cooked and brown, add together and set aside.
5. In the same pan, add vegetables and cook over medium heat until soft. Add in tomato paste and stir through. Once combined, add wine and let the alcohol cook off. Add back in the meat mixture, tomatoes, bay leaves and whole star anise. Stir well and let simmer for 2-3 hours. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and let cool.
- BÉCHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE):
1. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot. Add shallot and cook until soft. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
2. Add flour and stir well and continue to cook so there is no taste of raw flour. Add milk slowly and stir consistently for 10-12 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. If the mixture is lumpy, strain through a sieve. Remove from heat and let cool.
1. In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven, brown beef, pork, and lamb. I like to make these into meatballs, so all sides get brown and then break it up with a wooden spoon. Once meat is browned, remove from heat.
2. Brown pancetta and remove blotting excess fat on paper towel.
3. Remove sausage from casing and brown in the same pan, remembering to remove some of the excess fat with each browning.
4. Once meat is cooked and brown, add together and set aside.
5. In the same pan, add vegetables and cook over medium heat until soft. Add in tomato paste and stir through. Once combined, add wine and let the alcohol cook off. Add back in the meat mixture, tomatoes, bay leaves and whole star anise. Stir well and let simmer for 2-3 hours. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and let cool.
- BÉCHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE):
1. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot. Add shallot and cook until soft. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
2. Add flour and stir well and continue to cook so there is no taste of raw flour. Add milk slowly and stir consistently for 10-12 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. If the mixture is lumpy, strain through a sieve. Remove from heat and let cool.
- TOMATO SAUCE:
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom bot. Turn heat to low, add garlic and sauté until soft. Add tomatoes, chilis and salt and bring to a boil. Add basil and turn heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove garlic and basil and remove from heat to let cool.
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom bot. Turn heat to low, add garlic and sauté until soft. Add tomatoes, chilis and salt and bring to a boil. Add basil and turn heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove garlic and basil and remove from heat to let cool.
- CHEESE:
1. Combine the pecorino and parmesan mixture together in a bowl. Set the grated mozzarella aside.
1. Combine the pecorino and parmesan mixture together in a bowl. Set the grated mozzarella aside.
- PIPED CHEESE:
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add to a piping bag and keep in fridge until ready to assemble.
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add to a piping bag and keep in fridge until ready to assemble.
- PASTA:
1. (*) Purchase the fresh lasagna sheets preferably from your local Italian deli.
These need to be precooked and then put in an ice bath to halt cooking. To do so, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and boil sheets for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Do not overcook as they will cook further in the oven.
1. (*) Purchase the fresh lasagna sheets preferably from your local Italian deli.
These need to be precooked and then put in an ice bath to halt cooking. To do so, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and boil sheets for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Do not overcook as they will cook further in the oven.
- ASSEMBLY:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay blanched pasta on a worksurface. Spread a layer of béchamel (white sauce) over the first layer of noodle. Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan/Pecorino mixture over the béchamel, followed by a layer of grated mozzarella and add another pasta sheet on top.
2. On the second sheet of pasta, add a layer of the Bolognese sauce.
3. Roll the pasta into a log trying as best as possible to keep it tight. Transfer this to the fridge to let cool. Once cooled for a few hours slice into 2-in rounds.
4. In a baking dish, add a generous amount of the tomato sauce. Place sliced rounds flat side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce with the cut sides facing up. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and pipe your cheese mixture in between each round and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the pasta edges are golden brown and the piped cheese has colour on it.
- Serves 10-12
Copyright (c) Christina Valagao 12/2021
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay blanched pasta on a worksurface. Spread a layer of béchamel (white sauce) over the first layer of noodle. Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan/Pecorino mixture over the béchamel, followed by a layer of grated mozzarella and add another pasta sheet on top.
2. On the second sheet of pasta, add a layer of the Bolognese sauce.
3. Roll the pasta into a log trying as best as possible to keep it tight. Transfer this to the fridge to let cool. Once cooled for a few hours slice into 2-in rounds.
4. In a baking dish, add a generous amount of the tomato sauce. Place sliced rounds flat side down in the dish on top of the tomato sauce with the cut sides facing up. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and pipe your cheese mixture in between each round and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the pasta edges are golden brown and the piped cheese has colour on it.
- Serves 10-12
Copyright (c) Christina Valagao 12/2021
