Classic Spinach Lasagna
Submitted by vickiorrn
An Italian spinach lasagna with a slow-simmered meat sauce of ground beef, pancetta, chicken livers, and dried porcini mushrooms layered with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Old-world flavor in every bite.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis is not a quick weeknight lasagna. This is the one you build when it matters.
The sauce is a rich, deeply savory ragu made from ground beef, pancetta, chicken livers, and dried porcini mushrooms simmered for a full hour with tomato paste and mushroom-soaking liquid. It’s the kind of sauce that fills the kitchen with a smell you want to bottle.
Layers of tender lasagna noodles alternate with the meat sauce, a spinach-ricotta filling bound with egg, and generous showers of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Chef Tips
- Soak the dried porcini for a full 30 minutes and strain the liquid through a paper towel-lined sieve. That liquid is concentrated mushroom gold, so don’t skip it.
- Rinse the porcini pieces twice after soaking. Dried mushrooms hide grit in their folds.
- Chicken livers add a silky richness to the sauce without any liver-y taste. Chop them fine and they melt into the ragu.
- Squeeze every last drop of water out of the cooked spinach before mixing it with the ricotta. A soggy filling makes a soggy lasagna.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them.
Let them sit for 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the water.
Rinse the mushroom pieces thoroughly, chop them fine, and rinse again to remove all traces of grit.
Line a sieve with a dampened paper towel and strain the mushroom-soaking liquid into a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-reactive skillet.
Add the pancetta and onion and sauté over low heat 5 minutes.
Raise heat to medium, crumble in the ground beef, and add ¼ teaspoon of salt and several grindings of fresh pepper.
Sauté 5 more minutes, stirring to break up the meat.
Add the chopped chicken livers and the chopped porcini.
In a measuring cup, combine ½ cup of the mushroom-soaking liquid and ½ cup hot water.
Dissolve the tomato paste in this liquid and add it to the skillet.
Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally and regulating the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
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