Pasta
Lasagna Al Forno (Vera's Lasagna)
Ingredients
For the lasagna
- lasagne noodles (about 12 to 16)
- butter, for greasing the dish
- 4½ cup tomato/meat sauce (use your own recipe)
- grated parmesan cheese, for layering and serving
Bechamel (makes about 2 1/4 cups)
- 3 cup milk
- 6 tbsp butter
- 6 tbsp flour
- salt and pepper to taste; nutmeg (optional)
Bechamel with eggs (makes about 2 1/4 cups)
- 2 cup milk
- 4 tbsp butter
- 5 tbsp flour
- 3 eggs, beaten
- salt and pepper to taste; nutmeg (optional)
Method
Bechamel (makes about 2 1/4 cups)
- Heat the 3 cups milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm.
- In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt the 6 tablespoons butter until foamy, add the 6 tablespoons flour, and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste (making a roux).
- Gradually whisk the warm milk into the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Simmer 3 to 5 minutes until thick and smooth, then remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (optional).
Bechamel with eggs (makes about 2 1/4 cups)
- Warm the 2 cups milk.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons butter until foamy, add the 5 tablespoons flour, and stir 2 minutes to make a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the warm milk; simmer 3 to 5 minutes until thick and smooth, then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Temper the eggs: whisk a small spoonful of the hot sauce into the 3 beaten eggs so they don't cook into lumps, then pour the warmed egg mixture back into the sauce.
- Return to low heat and whisk 1 minute until blended; season to taste.
Assemble and bake
- Boil the lasagne noodles according to the package directions (about 12 to 16 noodles).
- Grease a baking dish with butter, and prepare the tomato/meat sauce using your own recipe (about 4 1/2 cups).
- In the buttered baking dish, layer in this order: bechamel with eggs (about 1/2 of the recipe), a layer of noodles, tomato/meat sauce, parmesan cheese, bechamel, then tomato/meat sauce again.
- Repeat the layers, starting with noodles and then the sauces and cheese, until finished. Cover the top with the remaining bechamel with eggs.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.
Notes
Handwritten card from Vera, titled "Lasagne al Forno." Serves 6 to 8. Use your own tomato/meat sauce (about 4 1/2 cups) — the Italian Spaghetti (Meat Sauce) recipe on this site works well; see Related recipes below. Two white sauces are used: a plain bechamel and a bechamel enriched with eggs.
Related recipes
Original card
The recipe above was transcribed from this scan of Vera’s original card.