Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Feb. 15th, 2009 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walton_eatsTonight I made lasagna rolls with homemade spinach pasta and homemade ricotta. This is an amalgam of several different recipes.
Ricotta
1 gallon whole milk
1 quart buttermilk
Mix milks together in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the milk starts to give off steam, stop stirring. When the mixture reaches around 175F, it will break into curds and whey. Gently run a spatula across the bottom to free up any curds sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Spoon the curds into a large colander placed in the sink or a large bowl, the colander lined with 6-8 layers of cheesecloth, lifting the sides of the cheesecloth to allow more of the whey to drain. Do not squeeze. When all of the curds are spooned into the colander, tie the corners of the cheesecloth together and let the cheese drain for around 15 minutes.
Move the cheese to an airtight container. Use within 5 days. Makes about 1 lb.
Pasta
250 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
250 grams semolina flour
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
4 large eggs
Additional flour if necessary
Cook the spinach according to package directions. Let cool, then squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Then squeeze some more. Then squeeze a little bit more.
With a sharp knife, chop the spinach as finely as you can. Alternatively, pulse the spinach in a food processor until finely chopped. Place the flour, spinach and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the bread hook, mix on Speed 4 until the dough comes together. Change to Speed 2 and knead dough for 5-7 minutes, adding flour if the dough seems too wet.
Remove dough from bowl and knead by hand for a couple of minutes, until dough feels silky. Wrap tightly in plastic and let rest at room temperature for at least an hour.
This recipe takes about half this dough. Run enough dough through a pasta machine to make 12 12"x4" sheets. (ETA: I run them through to #6 on an Atlas hand-crank pasta machine.) Lay out on baking sheets to dry for about an hour. Wrap the rest of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. I'll make fettucine with the rest tomorrow :).
Cook pasta sheets in boiling, salted water for about three minutes. Remove and lay out on baking sheets to cool.
Filling
16 oz whole milk ricotta
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or put through a press
1 large egg
1 cup grated or finely shredded parmesan cheese
3 ounces minced pancetta
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Bechamel
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Pinch freshly-ground nutmeg
Melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, and cook until sauce is thick and smooth. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Additional Ingredients
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 cups of your favorite marinara sauce
Additional parmesan
Assemble
Preheat oven to 450F. Butter a 9"x13"x2" non-metal baking dish. Cover the bottom with the bechamel. Working one at a time, spread about 3 tablespoons filling on a pasta sheet, roll up, and place, seam side down, on top of bechamel, two to a row, in six rows, without touching. Top with 1-2 cups marinara. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and additional parmesan.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Serve with additional heated marinara on the side.
Ricotta
1 gallon whole milk
1 quart buttermilk
Mix milks together in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the milk starts to give off steam, stop stirring. When the mixture reaches around 175F, it will break into curds and whey. Gently run a spatula across the bottom to free up any curds sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Spoon the curds into a large colander placed in the sink or a large bowl, the colander lined with 6-8 layers of cheesecloth, lifting the sides of the cheesecloth to allow more of the whey to drain. Do not squeeze. When all of the curds are spooned into the colander, tie the corners of the cheesecloth together and let the cheese drain for around 15 minutes.
Move the cheese to an airtight container. Use within 5 days. Makes about 1 lb.
Pasta
250 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
250 grams semolina flour
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach
4 large eggs
Additional flour if necessary
Cook the spinach according to package directions. Let cool, then squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Then squeeze some more. Then squeeze a little bit more.
With a sharp knife, chop the spinach as finely as you can. Alternatively, pulse the spinach in a food processor until finely chopped. Place the flour, spinach and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the bread hook, mix on Speed 4 until the dough comes together. Change to Speed 2 and knead dough for 5-7 minutes, adding flour if the dough seems too wet.
Remove dough from bowl and knead by hand for a couple of minutes, until dough feels silky. Wrap tightly in plastic and let rest at room temperature for at least an hour.
This recipe takes about half this dough. Run enough dough through a pasta machine to make 12 12"x4" sheets. (ETA: I run them through to #6 on an Atlas hand-crank pasta machine.) Lay out on baking sheets to dry for about an hour. Wrap the rest of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. I'll make fettucine with the rest tomorrow :).
Cook pasta sheets in boiling, salted water for about three minutes. Remove and lay out on baking sheets to cool.
Filling
16 oz whole milk ricotta
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or put through a press
1 large egg
1 cup grated or finely shredded parmesan cheese
3 ounces minced pancetta
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Bechamel
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Pinch freshly-ground nutmeg
Melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, and cook until sauce is thick and smooth. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Additional Ingredients
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 cups of your favorite marinara sauce
Additional parmesan
Assemble
Preheat oven to 450F. Butter a 9"x13"x2" non-metal baking dish. Cover the bottom with the bechamel. Working one at a time, spread about 3 tablespoons filling on a pasta sheet, roll up, and place, seam side down, on top of bechamel, two to a row, in six rows, without touching. Top with 1-2 cups marinara. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and additional parmesan.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Serve with additional heated marinara on the side.
