Thousand Layer Lasagne Recipe from 101 Cookbooks

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Thousand Layer Lasagne Recipe

 

Headnotes: I used to make this from scratch. The pasta all the way

through...This time around I got a jump start by paying $3 for a pound of fresh

egg pasta sheets at the farmers' market. Fantastic return on $3. You still need

to run those sheets through a pasta machine a few times to achieve the most thin

and delicate sheets of pasta possible - but starting from pre-bought was a bit

of a revelation for me, and a big timesaver. If you don't have a pasta machine

(they are actually quite affordable!), try a rolling pin - not quite the same,

but will help thin out the sheets....It also dawned on me that I might be able

to get away with skipping the pre-boil step in this recipe altogether and dial

up the amount of sauce a bit (though I've never tried it this way) - I suspect

you might be sacrificing some of the tenderness of the noodles to save the time

it takes to boil and drain...just a thought. Make sure the pasta sheets you buy

are fresh and moist. Proper seasoning is

important throughout this recipe, if you undersalt it is going to taste flat

and the flavors won't pop - the right amount of salt brings the pasta forward

and focuses the tomato and lemon flavors in the sauce.

1 pound fresh egg pasta sheets (or make some from scratch)

butter to prep baking dish

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 28-ounce can crushed organic tomatoes

zest of one lemon

3 4-ounce balls of fresh mozzarella, torn up into little pieces

a handful of slivered basil (optional)

freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375. Start by clearing off every flat space in your

kitchen, you are going to need and use all of it.

Make your sauce: Place the olive oil, salt, pepper flakes, and garlic in a

pan. Dial the heat up and saute for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes and slowly

bring to a simmer as well. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon zest and taste

for seasoning. Add more salt if needed. Set aside.

Fill your biggest pot full of water and bring to a boil.

Lavishly butter a deep, square baking dish. The one I use is 9x9 and 2

1/2-inches deep.

Thin out your pasta using a pasta machine. Start by cutting the big sheets

into 2-inch(ish) wide ribbons. This means making 2 cuts along the sheets. This

should yield you about 12 2-foot strips. Run them through the pasta machine. I

go to the 8 setting, one shy of the very thinnest setting. The sheets should

almost be translucent. Cut the strips into manageable rectangles roughly

4-inches in length.

Pre-cook the pasta: Fill a large bowl with cold water and a few glugs of olive

oil. Place a large flour sack or cotton dish towel across one of your counters.

Salt your pot of boiling water generously. Ok, now you are ready to boil off

your pasta. Believe it or not, you are on the home stretch. Place a handful of

the pasta rectangles into the boiling water to cook (I've found I can get away

with about 20 at a time), fish them out (I use a pasta claw) after just 15-20

seconds, don't over cook. Transfer them immediately to the cold olive-oil water

for a quick swim and cool-off. Remove from the cold water bath and place flat

and neat on the cotton towel. It is ok for them to overlap, I don't have a

problem with the sheets sticking typically. Repeat until all your pasta is

boiled.

Pull it all together. Ladle a bit of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared

baking dish. Cover the bottom with a layer of pasta sheets. Now a thin layer of

sauce, and a bit of cheese. Go for another layer of pasta, then sauce, then

pasta again, then sauce and cheese. Keep going until you've used up all the

sauce and pasta. You want to finish with a layer of pasta. Top with the last of

the sauce and the very last of the cheese so you have a nice cheesy top.

Bake until everything is melted and fragrant, 35 minutes or so. Let it sit for

10 minutes before serving, so everything has a chance to set up a bit. Dust with

parmesan and a bit of slivered basil.

Serves many.

 

 

 

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