Classic Lasagna

Ingredients for Sauce:
2 pounds large tomatoes, chopped (you can use canned)
1 red onion, chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 carrot peeled and chopped
10 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only
8 basil leaves
2 tablespoon extra-virgin o.o.
salt & pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Grana Padano

Ingredients for Bechamel:
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, heated
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ingredients for Assembly:
Lasagna pasta - 1 pound
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/3 cups grated Grana Padano, plus extra
butter for greasing
basil sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Prepare the tomato sauce: In a pot over medium heat, combine the tomatoes,
onions, celery, garlic, carrot, parsley, basil and olive oil. Cover & cook for 1
1/2 hours without stirring. Shake the pot occasionally to prevent the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom. Pass the mixture through a food mill (Lex just
try to smash it up with a wooden spoon if you do not have the proper tools)
into a separate pot over medium heat. Add the butter, season with salt &
pepper and cook for 15 minutes, or until smooth and thick. Set aside to cool.
Stir in the egg yolks and the Grana and set the sauce aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the bechamel: In a pot over medium heat, melt the
butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the flour is completely
incorporated into the butter, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the warm milk and
cook, stirring until the sauce is thick & creamy, about 10 minutes. Season
with salt, pepper & nutmeg, cover & set aside.

Cook your pasta if it is dry, al dente or follow directions on your fresh pasta.
If cooking them, shock them afterwards to stop the cooking process, by
running them under cold water Drain on damp, clean towels. Preheat oven to
375 degrees. Place a layer of lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of a lightly
buttered baking dish. Sprinkly the noodles with 1/4 cup of grated Grana and
cover with 1/3 of the bechamel. Make another layer of pasta - sprinkle with
another 1/4 cup of Grana and cover with 4 heaping tablespoons of tomato
sauce. Repeat the layering process 2 more times and finish with an additional
layer of the bechamel on top. Put in the oven and bake 15 minutes, or until
golden. Remove from oven let rest 10 minutes or so and then cut into squares
& serve with more grated Grana and a sprig of basil. Enjoy!!!!!
(Recipe by Guiliano Bugialli)

This recipe is the authentic, "non-Americanized," Italian Lasagna, that has sadly lost its authenticity - like translation of phrases and culture - from one continent to another. My daughter, Alexa, loves the original and would never settle for anything less!

Submitted by Chef Donna