First, to the lovely gracious Melinda of Melbourne Larder in Australia. She transformed all our correspondence into a beautifully written presentation on the private forum. Enza of Io da Grande in Italy, thank you for giggling at me over the eggs and jumping in with all your expertise. A heartfelt thank you to Lynne Rossetto-Kasper for granting us permission to use your beautifully written recipe. The cookbook The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emiglia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food records the rich and gorgeous stories of the traditional table in the Emiglia-Romagna area; we are so grateful to have this cookbooks' guidance. Any mistakes or omissions in the use of the recipe rest entirely on our shoulders.
To all the Daring Bakers, who plunged into this challenge though it scared the dickens out of many of them. Ivonne and Lisa, thank you for encouraging us to push the envelope of what we traditionally consider baking. Alternative bakers a big thank you! You've made the transition to a gluten free lifestyle much easier.
Last but not least, thank you to the nonnas who uphold the pleasure and love of a well tended table for their families. Nonna Giuseppina di Modena and Nonna Dora, you are goddesses among women and your cooking is greatly missed.
It is especially to all the nonnas, that I dedicate this challenge. The videos on this post display an expertise that far surpasses my own in the family kitchen.
Enough of the moosh, as Lisa would say, let's roll up our sleeves and get started!
With spring just launched in the northern hemisphere, and autumn descending in the southern hemisphere, the March challenge is a rich dish that we hope will be suitable fare for Daring Bakers around the world and not cause too much heat or stress in the kitchen!
This month’s challenge has global input, with the three hosts living in three continents: Mary of Beans and Caviar in Canada, Melinda of Melbourne Larder in Australia and Enza of Io da Grande in Italy. All three of us are very keen bakers for our families and friends and very excited to be hosting our first Daring Bakers challenge!
The recipe we’ve chosen this month is Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
Lasagne is a dish that has successfully transcended borders and is today made around the world, albeit with many variations from the Italian original. Even within Italy, there are many variations and each region has its own lasagne tradition. But, as Lynne explains in her introduction to the recipe – and Enza, as our Italian expert for this dish, also agrees - the dish should always be a “vivid expression of the ‘less is more’ philosophy of cooking. Mere films of béchamel sauce and meat ragu coat the sheerest spinach pasta. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dusts each layer. There is nothing more; no ricotta, no piling on of meats, vegetables or cheese; little tomato, and no hot spice. Baking performs the final marriage of flavours. The results are splendid.”
Sweet pasta is unusual but here is a traditional pasta recipe for our sweetest bloggers Emilia-Romagna Turismo This pasta could be paired with flavours of cream, raisins, pine nuts, orange, rosewater, prosciutto etc.
The most important part of this challenge is the hand-made Spinach Egg Pasta. We’ve also included Lynne’s recipes for béchamel (white) sauce and meat ragu but you can choose to use your own bechamel and ragu (or vegetarian sauce) recipes. Please follow Lynne’s instructions for the final assembly.
All recipes below from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper (published by William Morrow and Company Inc., 1992).
Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna Lasagne Verdi al Forno)
(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time
10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.
Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.
Since my version of the lasagne must be gluten free, I'm relying on "Nonna Video" for guidance in the traditional version.
Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.
Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.
Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.
Spinach Egg Pasta Pasta Verde
Preparation: 45 minutes
Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.
2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g each or more)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3&1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)
Working by Hand:
Equipment
A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.
A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.
A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta. Although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.
Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.
A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.
Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.
Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.
Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.
Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.
Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm).
Note: Enza says transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!
Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.
Bechamel
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2&2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.
Country Style Ragu’ Ragu alla Contadina
Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours
Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45 mL)
2 ounces/60g pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces/125g boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces/125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces/125g mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces/250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut (in order of preference)
1 ounce/30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup (5 ounces/160ml) dry red wine
1 &1/2 cups (12 ounces/375ml) chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups (16 ounces/500ml) milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Meat Ready for the Pan
Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu’ before using it.
Minced Vegetables and Pancetta
Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.
Browning the Ragu Base
Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.
Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.
Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.
Gluten Free
Although I have made Lynne Rossetto-Kasper's Lasagne in the original version, and I absolutely love it, this last year has seen a drastic change in the way my family eats. It turns out that three of the five of us are celiac. For a family in love with Italian food, it has been quite a shock.
We have moved from rice cakes to other food but there is still a longing for good pasta with a firm but pleasing texture and a subtle taste... especially lasagne, oh how we miss homemade lasagne! This challenge gave me the shove I needed to explore the gluten free side of lasagne. I was not confident about adding spinach, so my first attempt was the lasagne without spinach in the pasta.
Gluten Free Egg Pasta
The choice of the first flour is a matter of personal taste – please feel free to substitute a different flour for the corn flour.
150 gr corn flour or masa in North America - yellow with a slightly gritty feel (250 mL, 1 cup) NOT a starch
100 gr corn starch* (3/4 cup, 187.5 mL)
100 gr tapioca flour* (225 mL, 9/10 cup or a little over 7 volume ounces)
150 gr of potato starch* (250 mL, 1 cup)
100 gr of glutinous rice flour* (200 mL, ¾ cup)
10 gr of Xanthan powder (1.5 tsp, 7.5 mL)
10 gr of salt (1 tsp, 5 mL)
6 extra large eggs (60 gr each or 2.5 oz in weight, 1 fluid oz in volume)
3/8 cup of water (95 mL)
50 mL of extra virgin olive oil (1/5 cup)
*fine white powder that squeaks when rubbed between fingers
Plastic wrap or parchment paper for your work surface
Aluminium foil to cover the lasagne
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Whisk together 3 eggs, the water and/or spinach, and the oil. Pour into the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon, gradually drawing more of the flour mix into the wet ingredients. Add each egg as needed. The dough will be crumbly at the beginning but will gradually come together as you add the eggs. You will need to use your hands to squeeze and mix the dough.
The dough will be firm and stick together when ready. It will not have the elasticity of gluten dough therefore it will crack when kneaded and pushed. Form it into a smooth ball, oil it lightly, and cover securely with plastic wrap. Let it rest for an hour.
Put a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. This is very important as the dough will not hold together very well when lifted. Have flour ready for dusting (corn flour etc) and dust the surface lightly. Cut a piece of dough about the size of really large egg – it doesn’t matter the size but start small for the first one to gauge how much space you need. Keep the remaining dough covered so it does not dry.
Roll the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc with your hands. Put it on your work surface and flatten with your hands. Use a rolling pin and gently push the dough down and out ward from the centre. You may have to place one hand on the plastic wrap as you push the dough down and away. Gluten free dough does not stretch like wheat dough therefore it needs gentle flattening and pushing. If it breaks, pat it back together. If it is too dry, dab a little water with your finger.
The gluten free dough will be thicker than wheat dough and you will barely be able to see your hand through the dough. Once it is flattened, cut into strips or squares that will fit your pan.
Set the dough aside on the plastic sheet. There is no need to dry the dough. But if you do dry the dough, it will not be able to hang because it will break. Stack the rolled out dough with plastic sheets in between.
Stack the sheets when dry and wrap securely. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Freezing will make the dough crumbly and difficult to work with – so freeze only as a last resort!
This dough does not need to be precooked before being assembled into the lasagne.
Mixed and Kneaded Dough
Pushing and Squashing Into Shape
Rolling Dough A marble rolling pin was easier to use since a wooden one and Xanthan gum stick together like glue, unless you very liberally flour the rolling pin. Unlike wheat flour dough, the gluten free dough will wick up the sauce even when flattened mercilessly. This greedy slurping up of sauce can easily turn your lasagne gelatinous and mushy.
Tansparency? Bahahaha ... not like wheat dough! But you can barely see the outline of my fingers.
Rolled as Thin as Possible
Gluten Free Béchamel - White Sauce
2 & 2/3 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or Extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons corn starch (fine white and squeaky) – another starch can be substituted
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg
Mix the corn starch with ½ cup of cold milk. Heat the rest of the milk in a small sauce pan until steaming but do not boil. Add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the steaming milk. Stirring constantly, raise the heat and heat the mixture until thick. Once it is thick, remove it from the heat and add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Have the béchamel warm or at room temperature ready to assemble the lasagne. Whisk the sauce occasionally if it becomes stiff or thick.
Assembling the Gluten Free Lasagne
The assembly is the same as the regular lasagne with the addition of water. Gluten free lasagne noodles need a little more moisture for the lasagne, so you will be adding a little bit of water to the lasagne.
Before assembly, pour plain water into the pan, enough to form a thin film of water over the bottom. A 9 x 13 inch or 25 x 33 cm pan required almost ½ cup (125 mL) of water. Once the lasagne is assembled, pour a tablespoon or 15 mL of water into each corner of the dish. Cover the lasagne tightly with aluminium foil. Be careful not to touch the top of the lasagne with the foil. Bake as directed.
Finished Lasagne
I was so proud of this lasagne - the pasta kept distinct layers and had a touch of firmness. Drying the pasta overnight on plastic sheets helped tremendously. But freezing the pasta was a disaster, the sheets crumbled and broke when they were made into another lasagne.
Spinach Lasagne
The gluten free spinach lasagne was a triumph of taste but mediocre in texture since the pasta sheets became too soft. The spinach was too watery therefore the dough could only absorb 4 of the 6 eggs and it needed additional flour to combat the sticky texture. The protein of the eggs is very important to the structure of gluten free pasta. We were hungry, so the pasta sheets went directly into the lasagne without any drying. The texture of the dough when I kneaded it was silky and elastic, just like the wheat dough... I suspected trouble at that point!
I won't give up on the spinach version because the taste was divine, splendid even. The layers melted into each other but reducing the water, drying the pasta sheets and using more eggs should turn out a divine texture as well as taste. Here's a picture of my mediocre "but brimming with potential" lasagne.
Lessons Learned
1) Ask questions and read the private forum for solutions. Together, the Daring Kitchen turned out fantastic lasagnes.
2) Gracious cohosts and authors made this adventure very enjoyable. Thank you!
3) Gluten free pasta making is faster than making homemade wheat dough - a little incentive to keep me attempting for the perfect lasagne.
4) I'm hungry and there's leftover lasagne in the fridge... ciao!
70 comments:
Mary, thank you again so much (along with the other hosts) for this wonderful challenge! It was super-fun, and it got me to finally take the plunge and make some homemade vegan pasta. This was also such an easy challenge to veganize. My husband also thanks you, as does my daughter, because they gobbled up that lasagna faster that anything!
Thanks for hosting this month's DB challenge. I really loved this lasagna, so thanks for choosing it!
I love those videos you included in your post! and your lasagna, both versions, are gorgeous!
thanks for hosting this month! It was a fun challenge. :)
Thank you for this lovely challenge, It was wonderful. Love both your lasagna's
Thank you so much for such a great challenge! It was refreshing to make something totally out of the DB box!
Your lasagne looks beautiful! Well done!
Lovely photographed instructions! I had a lot of fun making the lasagna so thank you very much for choosing it, it was my first challenge!
Thank you so much for being one of the hosts for this month's challenge! I absolutely enjoyed making the lasagna and learned so much by doing it. My husband was in ecstasy eating it :-)
Pat
Great lasagne! Both versions looks scrumptious! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
Mary, your lasagne looks amazing - both of them, as does your pasta! Thanks so much for a great and hearty challenge - it was so much fun!
Wow, you made two different type, and they both look so good.
Thank you for choosing lasagna as our challenge for this month. I had fun making it.
Cheers,
elra
Thanks for hosting this month. Even though I took some liberties with my lasagna I really enjoyed making the pasta dough without any machines. My biceps thank you too!
Thank you for hosting such a wonderful challenge! Your lasagne looks wonderful :)
Thank you for hosting such a wonderful challenge! Your lasagne looks wonderful :)
looks delicious!!
I love the idea of a "brimming with potential" lasagne. Keep up the good work!
Okay you made me get teary eyed, thinking of Mother In Law, Nonna and how greatly missed she is. A nice tribute!
I loved this challenge as it was something I normally would not do and loved it. Good pic!
Thanks for the encouragement! I feel so lucky to receive a comment from one of the hosts on my first challenge. :)
Your lasagne, of course, looks lovely. And I am super impressed that you made two of these suckers. Wow.
Hello Mary
Thank you very much, for this great recipe... I love the videos
very nice lasagne and you did the two flavours ...good for you.
You should come for a visit one day,we can cook a storm...
Take care
Arlette
I love you both.
and it was a great experience with you and Melinda.
I can't say anything else or maybe...see you in Italy?
ops obviously you didn't say that my answers via email were punctually in late...as my post.
I've just finished and here in Italy we're on 28!
Wow you did manage to roll that thin!
And the spinach one looks great, even if it didn't turn out as you wanted.
Thank you so much for picking this. I too have been missing good lasagne and this challenge gave me the kick to try making pasta.. the recipe for gluten free pasta you gave worked extremly well though I didn't try adding spinach.
Mary, Thanks for picking lasagne for this challenge and being a lovely host.
I enjoyed doing this and frankly, might have never made my own pasta sheets ever.
I think I shall give the gnocchi a second chance.:)
This was a fantastic round - many thanks!
Great choice! I love to make homemade lasagne, but am not used to making it with a meat ragu. I felt so very traditional! I really liked the bechamel - I think I might double it next time.
One can never have too much pasta!
Yours looks wonderful.
What a great challenge you chose and the results and comments from the other DBers are excellent. Yours comments on the forums were so helpful to me and the others and your 'grace under fire' is an inspiration. You answered the questions so well I was impressed. Thank you for a delightful challenge.
Mary, thank YOU, Melinda and Enza for an interesting and truly delicious challenge! :)
You were a fantastic host, thank you!!
This was indeed a challenge - especially for my arms. I want one of those long rolling pins now!
Thank you Mary this really was grand! Love the spinach noodles though I may do them in my little pasta maker next time ;)
It sounds like everyone was extremely happy with the results of this amazing lasagna. Excellent choice!!
Homemade lasagna is awesome! You know what's even more awesome? You won a Vita-Mix!!! Email me your address!
I enjoyed the leftovers for days, it was really good. What a nice challenge this was.
Fun. Delicious. Challenging. What more could you want from a challenge? Bravo!!
Thanks for the great challenge--this was a lot of fun!
Thanks for choosing a lovely challenge..I had fun doing it. Great job hosting it.
I truly enjoyed this challenge. Although lasagne is far from new to me, I'd only made pasta by hand once before and it turned out horribly. This challenge really helped me to know that something delicious can come from a bit of patience and NO Machines! Thanks very, very much.
Thank you for this challenge and for dropping by my blog! We thoroughly enjoyed it! I may have to try it again after Lent is over and we can eat gluten again. (What was I thinking....?)
Mary, thanks a lot for co-hosting this fun and daring Challenge.
And when it comes to advice for baking/cooking, nonnas are worth their weight in gold. Twice.
fantstic challenge--lots of fun and great results!!
Thankyou so much for hosting! I was so pleased to see this recipe up as our challenge :)
Thanks for a great challenge! The process was a lot of fun and I love the finished lasagna.
This month was really nice , the new site plus this wonderful recipe.
Thanks Mary, your lasagna looks awesome.
We all enjoyed this month challenge.
Chahira
Alex- Egypt
http://chahirakitchen.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the challenge, Mary!
And oh, of course, great job with your lasagna!
Thanks for a wonderful pick! I really stretched my little comfort zone this month and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Your lasagna looks wonderful! and you get bonus points for two versions :)
Thank you for the challenge! It was awesomely fun =D
Hi Mary - thanks so much for being a wonderful co-host! I loved this month's challenge and I loved working with you and Enza on it. This is also the best lasagne I've ever made, so I'm glad to have discovered something new to add to my repertoire.
Mary.. thank you so much for the tasty challenge. That video made it looked so easy rolling out the pasta. I think my hands are still sore now! Your lasagne looked good..
Mary.. I don't care what anyone else might have said - this was one of the best challenges we've had. I've learned SO MUCH this month and I even had a super sous chef doing all the heavy work!
You three did a great job hosting (it's never easy!) and this challenge will be remembered long down the "Daring road" :)
Thanks for an amazing recipe and the opportunity for SO MANY of us to work outside of our comfort zones this month.. it was a blast!
xoxo
Thank-you so much for the wonderful challenge recipe, Mary! I had a great time making (and eating!) the lasagne.
Your two lasagnes look sublime!
At first I didn't quite get it: baking a lasagna for DB. And I was a bit disappointed because I was hoping for another overthetop birthday cake, but I have LOVED this ragú meat sauce and making lasagna together with my love has proven to be a lot of fun. Fine dining three (!) days in a row. So thanks a lot!
Great choice of a challenge! A savory challenge was just the thing I needed to kick start my culinary adventures again!
Thanks for a great challenge. I am actually just finishing up mine but I will be done by 11:59pm tonight. What a time!!!! Looks like you had an easier go than I
Thanks for hosting this month challenge the recipe is wonderful, I love the video of La Nonna that is how my aunts make pasta there in Italy :)
Thank you so much for picking this recipe. I had a lot of fun making it!
Lovely- great lasagna and thank you for the gluten-free version! Personally I was thrilled NOT to have to bake another sweet cake and spinach lasagna (gluten-free and vegetarian) was really a challenge I could enjoy a lot!
Thanks! Your pasta looks great!
-Sea
Great challenge! we love every last bite!!
Mary,
I think you all deserve enormous congratulations! Your lasagne is beautiful and the challenge was a true test of our Daring Bakers' spirit!!! Thanks for hosting!
I keep reading about this challenge and all the reports on the lasagne are fantastic. I own the book and keep looking at the page ... my excuse is the cat and dog fur will stick to the pasta.
Great choice! Thanks for choosing it.
Mary!
Thanks a bunch for hosting this challenge. It was just super and I can now proudly say I can make homemade pasta!!
thanks for a great challenge. I loved making the pasta (for the first time) and will do it again, and again, and again.
Thank you for a great challenge! I was definitely not disappointed by this, and it turned out much better than I thought it would!
Thank you so much for choosing such an interesting challenge this month! I'm a first time DB and it was really fun making the lasagne. Your instructions are really detailed and clear. Thanks again!
Thanks for hosting this fun challenge!
Thank you for this wonderful challenge!! I admit I was afraid at first but I totally loved it and plan on making it again soon!! It was a great choice!!
thx for a gr8 challenge! I'm not too sure about the 5lbs you made me gain eating it, but yum! ;)
Thanks for a fabulous challenge! I thoroughly loved learning how to make pasta.
Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go
Let me first say that I am raising my hand admitting I was one of those who were terrified of thisd challenge. Not because I did not want to try it ... but more that I did not want to fail! Your Hosting team inspired me to try somthing that I might never have tried on my own. Now, my only problem is ... where can I get me of those long Italian rolling pins?
Beautiful lasagne! Great job on this month's challenge!!!
Thanks for nice post.i m really happy to see this Beautiful lasagne.
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