Difficutly: easy
Time: 1 Hour 30 Min
Portion: 10 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound veal
salt and pepper
1 pound ricotta cheese
3 eggs
1 pound Lasagna sheets, cooked al dente
20 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups of mozzarella pearls
1/4 cup parmesan
7 tbs. butter
4 cups of whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup of flour
pinch of nutmeg
Directions:
Bechamel Sauce:
In a 2qt. pot, melt 5 tbs of butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. Whisk until smooth, approximately 2 min. Gradually add the 4 cups of whole milk, continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until thick and creamy (10 min) Remember the sauce will continue to thicken after removal from heat. Remove from heat source, add nutmeg and 1.5 cups of tomato sauce (cucina antiqua vodka sauce). Allow to cool completely.
Lasagna:
Preheat oven 375 degrees.
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. Brown the veal, breaking down any large lumps. Remove from heat and drain excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a medium size bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
In a 13×9 baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets with slight overlap covering the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread all of the ricotta mixture and then all of the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta, then all of the veal, sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella pearls on top of the veal, then spread a layer of another 1/3 of the bechamel. Arrange another final layer of pasta sheets and top with the remaining bechamel, mozzarella and most of the parmesan. Cut the remaining 2 tbs of butter into tiny cubes and drop them across the top.
Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until bubbling. (30 minutes) Remove cover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.