Lasagna Bolognese

I like to serve pasta at parties. But it is not easy as it sounds, since pasta should be served immediately after cooking for best taste. Some leave the boiled pasta coated with olive oil so it will not stick together and add sauce later right before serving. But I think it still ruins the texture of pasta by overcooking it, and also the sauce will not cling to the reserved pasta as well as to a freshly cooked pasta.

One solution is baked pasta. You can assemble the pasta ahead of time, and bake right before your guests arrive. The best known baked pasta is, of course, lasagna. There are many kinds of lasagna… you can add meat based sauce, or you can go completely vegetarian with mushroom, spinach or zucchini with binding sauce (e.g. béchamel sauce). You can also make it cheesy by adding parmesan, gruyere or pecorino to the lasagna.

Lasagna is usually baked in a quite large lasagna pan, and served as family style. But, how about baking single portion lasagna this time? It is just easier to serve and also store if you want to freeze them.


Lasagna Bolognese

(Yield: 4 servings / Cooking time: 30 minutes*)
* 30 minutes do not include sauce making time.

Ingredients:
+ 5-6 lasagna sheets
+ 2 cups bolognese sauce*
+ 1.5 cups béchamel sauce*
+ 1 cup ricotta
+ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
+ (optional) chives or basil

* Please refer to the previous posts on January 18, 2012.
[Basic] Bolognese Sauce (Italian Meat Sauce)
[Basic] Sauce Béchamel


Procedures:
1. Preheat your oven at 400°F (205°C).

2. If you have square molds, you can use them. If you don't you can make them with cooking foil. Place the molds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat.

3. Boil a pot of water for pasta. When the water is rapidly boiling, add salt to the water, and cook lasagna sheets about 1-2 minute less than what the pasta package recommends (about 6 minutes). Drain the pasta, and rinse slightly with cold water to stop the cooking process.


4. Cut one lasagna sheet into 3-4 pieces.

5-1. Line bottom of the mold with a layer of lasagna piece.
5-2. Spread evenly 2.5 Tbsp of bolognese sauce.
5-3. Spoon 1.5 Tbsp of béchamel sauce over the bolognese sauce.
5-4. Scatter about one Tbsp of ricotta.


6. Repeat the #5 process two more times. Now, you have three layers.


7. Cover the top of three layers with a piece of lasagna, and spread 1.5 Tbsp of béchamel sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top. (You can refrigerate the assembled lasagna until 30 minutes before serving, if needed. )


8. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. If the top is not golden brown enough, use the broiler to brown the top.


9. Remove the cooking foil when lasagna is slightly cooled.


10. If you don't serve it right away, you can even freeze the individual portion and reheat in microwave or oven.


Garnish with chives or basil and enjoy~