MEMORIES OF LASAGNA

by FRANCESCO ACQUAVIVA

INGREDIENTS Pasta dough

400g white flour / 200g semola flour / N8 yolk / N2 whole eggs 400g white flour / 200g semolina flour / N8 yolk / N2 whole eggs In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients until the dough is smooth. Cover with cling film and let it rest in the fridge for an hour before use.

Ragu Bolognese

500g beef mince meat / 50g onions / 50g celery / 250g tomatoes, peeled / 50g carrots / 50g olive oil / salt and pepper for seasoning Pour a spoonful of olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add the mince meat. Mix until the meat separates and is cooked. In a pot with olive oil cook the onions, the carrots and the celery for 5 minutes. Add the mince meat, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 hours.

Bechamel

500g milk / 50g flour / 50g butter / pinch of nutmeg / salt and pepper for seasoning In a pot melt butter then add the flour and cook for a minute, add the warm milk and whisk until it s cooked. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Tomato sauce

300g cherry tomatoes / 50g olive oil / 15g basil / salt for seasoning / sugar if required In a pot with the olive oil cook the cherry tomatoes for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the basil and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the basil pass it through a strainer and season with salt. Add sugar if required to balance the acidity.

Pesto sauce

50g basil / 40g ricotta cheese / 15g pine nuts / 1.5g salt / 15g olive oil / 30g parmesan cheese / 10g pecorino cheese Mix all the ingredients in a Pacojet, then freeze and then blend. Repeat this process 3 times or until the pesto is smooth, creamy and mix together. Keep in the fridge.

Parmesan chips

100g water / 30g flour / 50g parmesan cheese / 20g olive oil Mix all the ingredients with hand blender and strain. Cook the chips in a small pan with a touch of olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and let it rest in a warm place.

Parmesan sauce

200g cream / 200g parmesan cheese / 15g olive oil In a pot warm the cream to 37C, add the parmesan cheese powder and the olive oil. Mix with a hand held blender for 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.

Pasta

Roll the pasta dough or pass it through a pasta machine and make 1 inch strips. Lay a strip of pasta dough and place a bit of egg yolk, a bit of the béchamel and a bit of Ragu Bolognese sauce. Place a strip of pasta dough and shape it into a tortello. In a pot with boiling water with salt, cook the tortelli for 2 to 3 minutes. Finish cooking it in a pan with a tablespoon of water, olive oil and parmesan cheese. Season it with salt and pepper.

IL GRANDE RAVIOLO

by FRANCESCO GUARRACINO

INGREDIENTS Pasta dough

750g flour / 30ml extra virgin olive oli / 30ml pasteurized whole eggs / 30ml pasteurized egg yolks

Method

Mix all the ingredients into mixing bowl till a dough is formed. Once a non-stick dough is formed, cover the dough with cling film and allow it to rest.

Pappa al pomodoro

50g tomato sauce / 15g sour dough bread / 20g white onions / 75ml extra virgin olive oil / 5g salt / 3g black pepper / 10 basil leaves / 1 garlic clove

Method

Start by cutting the onions into juliennes. Heat a pan with the extra virgin olive oil, slow cook the onions and season with salt and pepper. Once the onions have softened, add the tomato sauce, and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add the basil and garlic to the sauce and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Then add the sliced sour dough bread to the sauce, once the bread has is soaked into the sauce, mix until the bread breaks down into the sauce. After the sauce has thickened in its texture due to the bread, strain away remain bread particles and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato Water

50g corbarino tomatoes / 50g datterino tomatoes 50g spunzillo tomatoes / 25g fresh burrata / 5g salt 3g pepper / 2g garlic oil / 50ml extra virgin olive oil 8 basil leaves

Method

Add all the ingredients into a mixer and roughly blend on high for few seconds. Then strain and set aside the mixture overnight to get as much water out of the tomato blend.

Preparing the raviolo

Proceed to flatten the pasta into a pasta machine till your desired thickness. Stuff the ravioli dough with the Pappa Al Pomodoro bread mixture and burrata. Close the ravioli and ensure the edges are jagged. Cook the prepared ravioli in salted water. Separately before plating the dish, cook down the tomato water that was previously prepared till it reaches a thicker texture and then proceed with plating.

Plating

Add 2 raviolo’s (facing opposite directions to form a circle) on the plate and cover the raviolo’s with a thin layer of the thickened tomato water from the pan. Garnish with black dried olive powder (dried overnight and then blended finely) and top with the basil leaves.