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FOOD: Clyde Van Arsdall IV serves up lasagna with fresh pasta from Assenti’s Pasta
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The Assenti Hack
Story & Photos by Clyde Van Arsdall IV
The heady aroma of toasted cheese and the sweet tang of tomato sauce swaddle the senses like a warm blanket as you open the oven. The smells of food baking fi ll the surrounding space, letting everyone know something good is coming. The day's stress seems to melt away as focus turns toward the fragrant treat that is now on everybody's radar. There are few things as comforting as lasagna. When cut, the layers are eyecatching. The cross section is elusive, as it gives you a preview of what lies inside without spoiling the plot.
Comfort food is often a traditional dish that has nostalgic or sentimental appeal. Every country has its version of comfort food, and Italy is no exception. I would argue that all Italian food is comforting. But none more so than lasagna. Nostalgic and sentimental, this dish checks all the boxes. Lasagna, for most of us, has come in many forms. The frozen Stouff er’s version showed up at so many potlucks while growing up or on the dinner table as the one you remember your mom making. All bring back memories. From large family gatherings to celebrations, universally liked lasagna is a great way to feed many people. I have fond memories of this dish. However, as I have grown older, the lasagnas mentioned above no longer appeal to me. I haven't found many restaurant versions I like either. Sourcing the best ingredients and making everything from scratch makes the best lasagnas. Tracking down the best ingredients and making something from scratch is a labor-intensive process, especially when using fresh pasta sheets. Good bolognese sauce, bechamel and fresh pasta take time. At home, lasagna was an event that took several days, but the results were heavenly. Working in a professional kitchen, I had a staff that made things easy. I instructed them to make the sauces and fresh pasta sheets, and to prepare ingredients. All I had to do was assemble it. I no longer have a staff , and two days to make lasagna is a luxury I seldom have. Being the mother of invention, Necessity forced me to fi gure out a way to solve this problem.
What if I told you there was a place where you could get fresh pasta sheets and house-made sauces? What if that same place had imported parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, house-made sausages and everything else you need to make a kick-ass lasagna from scratch? The specialty shop I am referring to is Assenti’s in Little Italy. Who needs kitchen staff when you have expert Italian craftsmen who will happily sell you everything you need? Roberto and Luigi make everything in-house with the fi nest ingredients available. It's like mom is cooking for you, but not your mother, theirs. Adriana Sabatini Assenti’s family recipes live on through her sons. If you have not experienced a lasagna made with Adriana's fresh pasta and sauces, then you aren't living your best life, so treat yourself. You know where to go; now you have to decide what kind of lasagna you want to make.
Note: I have written about Assenti’s before in an article, “The First Family of Pasta.” January 2021 article that you can view online at crowncitymagazine.com.
Many diff erent types of lasagna vary from region to region. In southern Italy, they use dried pasta, the wide strips with ripples on the edges, a rich meat ragú, ricotta and mozzarella. In the north, if using dry pasta, they use fl at noodles without the ripples, more often though they use fresh egg pasta. In Bologna they are known for Lasagna Bolognese al Forno. This variation contains layers of fresh pasta sheets colored with spinach, topped with ragú, bechamel and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Fresh pasta sheets give this lasagna a superior mouthfeel. When cooked, the pasta is softer and less chewy than dry noodles. Using bechamel sauce instead of mozzarella and ricotta makes this version less heavy. This butter, fl our and milk sauce is luxurious but straightforward — a total departure from the lasagna of my youth. There is no shortage of traditional recipes, but don't be afraid to experiment. The best lasagna tends to be the one you make, the way you like it. Once you've committed to tackling a lasagna at home, now what?
I have come up with a decadent but easy recipe for lasagna. I call it “Lasagna101, the Assenti Hack.” The 101 distinction is because this is an entry-level recipe. It is a hack because it uses shortcuts to make things easier. This “hack” comes with a shopping list for Assenti’s as well as instructions for assembly and cooking. This version uses mozzarella and ricotta, but you could easily substitute that for bechamel. I use hot and mild Italian sausage, sauteed fennel, onions and fresh basil. I love this combination, but the variations available to you are endless. You can switch up the sauces and cheeses and use meat or no meat. I love mushrooms, especially this time of year. There are beautiful and exotic varieties popping up at the various farmers markets all over San Diego. Before you know it, you have Lasagna ai Funghi.
After deciding what to make and buying the ingredients, there is still a fair amount of prep and some carefully planned assembly in your future. Here are some tips to ensure your lasagna turns out great. Various recipes state that fresh pasta sheets don't need to be cooked before assembly. There is some truth to this; they will cook during baking. However, I fi nd that not cooking them leaves a starchy residue. Assenti’s website has simple instructions for cooking the pasta for 45 seconds to a minute before assembly. The fresh pasta sheets come in 2-pound packages and contain enough sheets to make a four-layer lasagna in a 10x13 pan. Spinach sheets are available seasonally and upon request — call ahead for availability. I parboil two sheets at a time and assemble the lasagna as I go. If you cook them all before assembly, separate them using wax paper as they will stick otherwise.
Sauté vegetables ahead of time. Most vegetables contain a fair amount of water. Sautéing allows the vegetables to shed some water, which keeps the lasagna from getting soggy.
Prepare everything you need ahead of time. Sauté your ingredients, grate the cheeses and place them all together, so they are close by when it comes time to create the layers.
If you want the wow factor in the presentation, cook lasagna ahead of time and don't try to eat it right out of the oven. I have made this mistake too many times. After spending all this time assembling these gorgeous layers, you take the lasagna straight out of the oven and cut it into it. When you scoop a hot piece out of the pan, it results in a sloppy mess all over the plate. The taste is still good, but the presentation is lacking. I like to allow the lasagna to cool thoroughly on a rack then in the refrigerator. Cooling will enable it to fi rm up, and then you can cut the lasagna into your desired portions. Each piece will maintain its structure, showing all the individual layers when presented on a plate. These pieces can be heated individually and served with extra sauce. I like to top each piece with a fresh sprig of basil and provide freshly grated parmesan cheese at service. If you put the time in, take the extra step to do it right. We all eat with our eyes fi rst.
I hope you will try this recipe and create memories for your loved ones. It is a show-stopper. This dish is perfect for many people, but I often make it for myself. I portion it and freeze it. That way, I have an easy homemade meal that I can pop in the oven whenever making dinner seems like too much on a full day. If you want to serve it whole, I would still cool it down, cut it into its desired portions, then reheat and serve out of the pan. Buon appetito!
The smell of lasagna right out of the oven is comfort at its finest.
• Clyde Van Arsdall is a third-generation Coronado local, chef and storyteller. For more stories and follow-ups to his articles go to oliveavenuesupperclub.com. • Assenti's Pasta is San Diego's largest supplier of fresh, authentically handcrafted pasta with GMO-free grains, no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or additives, located in Little Italy, at 2044 India Street in downtown San Diego.
Assenti Ingredients assembled for lasagna preparation.
Everything is chopped and grated, time to saute the onions and fennel.
In the fi rst step, spread the sauce in the bottom of the pan before you lay down the fi rst sheet.
The fi nal layer of sauce, then a few more ingredients before the last pasta sheets cap it all off .
Note: Make this recipe well in advance to allow it to cool off before cutting. From start to fi nish this will take about four hours. One hour to prep and assemble, one hour to cook, and two hours to properly cool before cutting. Assenti Shopping list • One package lasagna sheets, eight sheets, two pounds • Three pints sauce (meat sauce) • Three pints sauce for service (Amatriciana Sauce, this is spicy)
Note: These sauces are two of my favorites, but there are many to choose from. They are all wonderful. • One-quart ricotta cheese • Two balls low-moisture mozzarella
Note: If using bechamel, skip these two kinds of cheese. Bechamel is not always available at Assenti’s, but I buy it when it is. Easy recipes are readily available on the internet if you want to make the bechamel. • One wedge of Parmesan Reggiano • Two sweet Italian sausages • Two hot Italian sausages Grocery List • One medium onion • One bulb fennel
Note: This is where you can be creative — substitute the onion and fennel, or add to it. Mushrooms, spinach, eggplant, fi nd a combination you like. Equipment • Roasting pan • Skillet • Casserole dish • Cooling rack Prep • Sausages: remove from casing and sauté breaking them into smaller pieces. • Onions and fennel: slice thinly and sauté with a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper until the onions are opaque. • Cheese: grate parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Use a box grater for the mozzarella and a micro plane for the parmesan. • Pasta sheets: cut sheets to the length of the casserole dish. Parboil in stages one layer, two sheets, at a time to prevent sticking. A roasting pan with two inches of salted water works well for this. Cook no more than one minute. • Spoon sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish to cover. First Layer • Lay the fi rst two sheets in the bottom of the pan on top of the sauce, making sure to overlap the sheets slightly where they meet in the middle. • Ladle sauce, enough to cover, onto the fi rst layer of pasta sheets. • Spread 1/3 of the cheeses, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan to cover.
• Spread 1/3 of the onions and fennel over the cheeses to cover. • Spread 1/3 of the sausage meat over the fennel and onions to cover. Repeat process for second and third layers. Top Layer • Lay the last and fourth set of pasta sheets over the meat. • Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the top sheet. Finish • Place lasagna on a sheet pan to catch any drips, cover with foil, and place in a 350-degree oven for 45 min. • Remove foil and cover top with a generous amount of grated parmesan, return to oven uncovered for additional 15 min or until cheese has melted.
Cool the fi nished lasagna on a rack completely before refrigerating.
Note: Serving and storing this lasagna will be a snap if you allow it to cool completely before cutting. Ideally, you would cool on a rack for an hour then chill in the refrigerator. Cooling provides for easy cutting and portioning. The lasagna pieces should have some structure and cooling before cutting allows for this. Cut the lasagna neatly into usable portions that are easy to store. Microwave pieces for three minutes, then fi nish in the oven at 350 degrees until cooked thoroughly. Serve topped with a generous ladle of sauce and more parmesan cheese. Garnish with a sprig of basil.
A single-cut piece of lasagna shows off all the wonderful layers.
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