Cookbook Club Notes: What a treat! At once familiar and unexpectedly sophisticated, this lasagne is absolutely delicious. A note from Chef Emma, “If you don’t have access to rabbit or would rather use an alternative, 50/50 ground pork and veal would make a delicious substitution.”
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into small dice
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored and cut into small dice
- 1 small leek, white and tender green parts, cut into small dice
- ½ medium yellow onion, cut into small dice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground rabbit
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup walnuts, ground to paste
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Grated zest and juice of ½ orange
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 (8–12-ounce) package lasagna noodles
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
Preparation
To make the Bolognese sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the guanciale and fry until the fat renders and the pork is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the fennel, leek, onion and garlic, and sweat for about 3 minutes. Add the rabbit and brown off, breaking up the meat with a whisk or spoon.
Add the wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Simmer to reduce for a minute or so. Add the milk and walnut paste and give a stir. Add the lemon and orange zest and juice, sage, thyme, bay leaf, cinnamon and allspice. Give another stir, partially cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until nicely thickened, about 1 hour. Stir in the salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
To make the béchamel sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour until well blended and cook, stirring for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To assemble: Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with a bit of butter. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to boil, and working in batches, if necessary, gently cook the pasta sheets until almost tender, then drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain again. In a large bowl, gently toss the cooked pasta sheets with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Place one or more pasta sheets on the bottom as needed to cover. Top with a scoop of the Bolognese sauce and then a scoop of the béchamel. Spread the sauces in an even layer and sprinkle a bit of Parmesan on top. Repeat these steps until you have 7 to 10 layers, saving a little béchamel and cheese for the top. Eyeball your sauces and your cheese to divide them more or less evenly between layers, depending on how many pasta sheets you have. Do not put too much filing in each layer. This lasagna should be light, balanced and delicate on the palate.
When you have finished making your layers, top with the reserved béchamel and half of the reserved Parmesan. Bake until the lasagna is set, the top is lightly browned, and the juices are bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve, garnished with the parsley and more Parmesan.
