Sunday, March 29, 2009

FRESH SPINACH LASAGNE

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

I was so excited to see this challenge at the beginning of the month. I am a HUGE fan of The Splendid Table and all things NPR. Also, I’ve heard only good things about the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna.

I’ve always had making fresh pasta on a to do list in the back of my mind. I imagined rolling and cutting fresh sheets of dough and stuffing ravioli bellies with seasonal fare like pumpkin or fresh herbed goat cheese. With the time involved in the preparation, it would only be for a special occasion for certain.

This challenge involved making a vivid spinach dough, a béchamel sauce, and a ragu. Simple ingredients layered together with parmesean cheese to form pure indulgence. Rolling and stretching the dough was not as difficult as one would imagine. (Even without a machine!). It’s very forgiving.

I got a little creative with the drying process. I love my dish towels. It made me smile to see them slung around the dining chairs draped with the verdant lasagne sheets.

The texture of the pasta in the finished dish was velvety smooth. Nothing compares to fresh pasta and now homemade is within my grasp. Thank you Mary, Melinda, Enza, and Lynn!

- Olivia

3 comments:

Jacque said...

Seems there were a lot of chair backs doubling as pasta holders last month, LOL.

Your lasagne looks wonderful!

Debbie said...

You and I must have read the same book on pasta drying ... my dining room chairs also doubled as drying racks! Hey ... it worked and that's what counts. I agree that I now feel that homemade pasta is something I can make again without any fear.

Mina B. said...

I want some. Please. Please?