Lasagna alla Bolognese

 This is the big Daddy of all lasagnas usually served around the holidays and is usually made with fresh spinach pasta ( pasta verde) I like to make my bolognese sauce days ahead and freeze it. Then I make the pasta the day ahead and parboil and keep in the fridge. The day of all I have to do is make the bechamel, grate the parmigiana and assemble to bake! Of course you can use regular pasta or even regular fresh pasta but I can’t promise you won’t be haunted by all the Nonni rolling over in their graves😂

Ingredients

1 large pot bolognese 

1 pot bechamel 

1 recipe spinach pasta

2 cups parmigiana grated

Directions

Make bolognese a few days or even weeks ahead (freeze it if doing way ahead)

Make pasta sheets a day ahead no more than 24 hours

Grate cheese

Make bechamel right before cooking

In a 9 by 13 pan spread sauce to cover

Cover with lasagna sheets over lapping 

Add more sauce, then bechamel and sprinkle cheese

Repeat until almost no more sauce is left (you’ll need some for the topping)

Finish top layer with pasta, sauce and Parmesan

Cover with foil and bake 350 for 35-40 minutes until bubbly, remove foil and cook u see broiler to brown but keep the oven door open to watch very carefully!

Rest the lasagna for 10-15 minutes before cutting!

Big Braciole!

Braciole,  also known as involtini "little bundles",  is a common main meat dish in many southern Italian homes and was always added to our Neapolitan Sunday sauce, also known as Suca or Sugo!  In the past I have always made individual braciole but I was recently having a large dinner party and decided to do 2 large large ones and it was so much easier. Not only that but it cut into perfect pinwheels for the serving platter! I'm not saying I will  never make small ones again but this may be by new "go to" braciole recipe.
Ingredients
a large flat iron, skirt, flank, hanger etc.... or any big flat steak (4 people) I get a 2 pack at Costco
a lot of fresh herbs (I like a combo of parsley, basil, oregano, and sage sometimes I use a mixture of dried and fresh)
1 egg per steak
salt and lots of black pepper
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan per steak

1/2 cup breadcrumbs per steak
1 garlic clove minced per steak
olive oil
dry wine and a cup of water for deglazing
 a pot of sauce
large toothpicks or cooking twine
Directions
First pound out your meat on both sides until very flat and tender (you'll get an arm workout for sure!)
Mix the chopped herbs with the beaten egg bread crumbs and salt and pepper if its not thick enough to hold its shape on the steak without running add more cheese.
Spread this mixture on the steak and roll up with the grain (roll with the grain so that when you cut its against the grain or else it may be tough, this is so important) very tight.
Now tie up tightly or add toothpicks making it very secure.
Heat up pan and coat your meat in olive oil, this works better than adding it to the pan. Now brown on both sides. Use a, little wine and or water to release the meat from pan so you don't tear it!
Add meat to sauce and cook at a very low simmer for at least 3 hours or more!
Remove and allow to rest 15 minutes. Remove twine or toothpicks. Slice into pinwheels, it should now be cutting against the grain since you rolled with the grain.
Serve on platter with sauce on the bottom and more on the side!

Empanadas (Meat Filling)

An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry and it literally means to wrap or coat in bread. Empanadas have many different fillings from sweet to savory and each Latin country has their own version. My pastry dough recipe is from my Mom's friend from Cuba, or our Tia as we called her, and the filling is based on a Spanish style meat sauce.

Ingredients For Meat Filling  (Double this recipe if you want some great taco filling!)
1/2 pound ground meat of your choice ( I like half beef half pork)
11/2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Latin Sofrito
1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Sweet Spanish Paprika
1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
1/2 cup  tomato puree or left over sauce
Directions For Filling
Cook the meat just until done and set aside. In the same pan saute the sofrito in the oil until translucent. Add all of the spices and cook for a few minutes Add the wine and cook it for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook on medium heat until it is reduced down to a semi thick paste like sauce. Add back the meat and taste to see if it needs more salt. Cover and keep on low heat for about 10 minutes. If it is too soggy add a little flour and cook for a minute. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool off so that it won't tear the pastry.  
Ingredients For Dough (You will also need a pot of canola oil for frying)
 11/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons crisco straight from the fridge
1 egg
  3-4 tablespoons white wine
a few tablespoons ice water reserved in case in it needs more moisture
Directions For Dough
Place the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Add crisco and pulse until it is the size of peas. Add the eggs and wine and pulse until it forms a dough and then immediately stop pulsing. if it does not seem wet enough add the water 1 tablespoon at a time pulsing to see if it forms. Form into a loaf and dump it on to a plastic wrap sheet and wrap up.  Place in the fridge for atleast an hour.
Directions For Preparing The Meat Empanadas
Heat your oil up to 375
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a 3-4 inch circle.
Place a small amount of meat into the center of each circle and fold over press down to release any air and seal with finger. Now take a fork and crimp as you slide the tongs onto the counter.
Fry until golden on each side and drain on paper towels.