*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                        LUIGI'S LASAGNA AL FORNO

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 10   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Italian                          Pasta

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1/2                Onion, chopped
  1                    Carrot, peeled and sliced
                       -very thin
  1                    Stalk celery, sliced very
                       -thin
  4                    Cloves garlic, sliced
    1/4   c            Olive oil
  2       cn           Plum tomatoes, drained (28
                       -ounces each)
                       Salt, pepper, and sugar
                       -(optional), to taste
                       Red pepper flakes, to taste
                       -(optional
    1/2   c            Red wine
                       FOR THE BECHAMEL
  2       c            Milk
  4       tb           Unsalted butter
  4       tb           All-purpose flour
    1/2   ts           Salt
    1/2   ts           White pepper
                       Nutmeg, to taste
                       FOR ASSEMBLING
                       Olive oil and salt for
                       -cooking lasagna noodles
    3/4   lb           Lasagna noodles
 15       oz           Ricotta cheese (1 container)
    1/4                To 1/3 pound mozzarella
                       -cheese, thinly sliced

 FOR THE SAUCE

 Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

 To make the sauce, saute the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic in the
 olive oil until golden.  Add the tomatoes, mashing them in the pot as they
 are added.  Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 1
 hour.  Add salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes; cook for another 1/2
 hour, covered.  In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the red wine.

 To make the bechamel sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan.
 Melt the butter in another saucepan and gradually whisk in the flour.  Cook
 for about 2 minutes, but do not let the mixture turn brown. Remove the
 saucepan from the heat and add the hot milk, whisking constantly.  Return
 the saucepan to low heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 5 to 10
 minutes, or until the sauce is medium thick.  Add the salt, pepper, and
 nutmeg.

 Cook the lasagna noodles in salted boiling water, with a few drops of olive
 oil, until al dente.  Drain.

 In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spoon enough tomato sauce to just cover the
 bottom of the pan.  Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, then some tomato
 sauce.  Spoon on a third of the ricotta cheese, then a third of the
 bechamel sauce.  Cover with a layer of pasta, then tomato sauce, a third of
 the ricotta and a third of the bechamel.  Repeat one more time. Top with a
 layer of sliced mozzarella cheese.  Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30
 minutes, or until piping hot.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with
 optional Parmesan cheese before serving.

 Makes 10 servings.

 Nutrients per Serving: 336 Calories, 13 g Protein, 26 g Carbohydrate, 21 g
 Fat, 10 g Saturated Fat, 50 mg Cholesterol, 483 mg Sodium.

 [THE WASHINGTON POST; January 16, 1991]

 Posted by Fred Peters.



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