Luigi's lasagna al forno

Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 Onion chopped
1 Carrot peeled and sliced -very thin
1 Stalk celery sliced very -thin
4 Cloves garlic sliced
1/4 c Olive oil
2 cn Plum tomatoes

Instructions:

drained (28 -ounces each) Salt pepper and sugar -(optional) to taste Red pepper flakes to taste -(optional 1/2 c Red wine FOR THE BECHAMEL 2 c Milk 4 tb Unsalted butter 4 tb All-purpose flour 1/2 ts Salt 1/2 ts White pepper Nutmeg to taste FOR ASSEMBLING Olive oil and salt for -cooking lasagna noodles 3/4 lb Lasagna noodles 15 oz Ricotta cheese (1 container) 1/4 To 1/3 pound mozzarella -cheese thinly sliced FOR THE SAUCE Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) To make the sauce saute the onions carrot celery and garlic in the olive oil until golden. Add the tomatoes mashing them in the pot as they are added. Bring to a boil then simmer over low heat uncovered for 1 hour. Add salt pepper sugar and red pepper flakes; cook for another 1/2 hour covered. In the last 20 minutes of cooking add the red wine. To make the bechamel sauce bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. Melt the butter in another saucepan and gradually whisk in the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes but do not let the mixture turn brown. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the hot milk whisking constantly. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook whisking constantly for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sauce is medium thick. Add the salt pepper and nutmeg. Cook the lasagna noodles in salted boiling water with a few drops of olive oil until al dente. Drain. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish spoon enough tomato sauce to just cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles then some tomato sauce. Spoon on a third of the ricotta cheese then a third of the bechamel sauce. Cover with a layer of pasta then tomato sauce a third of the ricotta and a third of the bechamel. Repeat one more time. Top with a layer of sliced mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until piping hot. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with optional Parmesan cheese before serving. Makes 10 servings. Nutrients per Serving: 336 Calories 13 g Protein 26 g Carbohydrate 21 g Fat 10 g Saturated Fat 50 mg Cholesterol 483 mg Sodium. [THE WASHINGTON POST; January 16 1991] Posted by Fred Peters.