Debbie S Focaccia Recipe Giada Recipe For Lasagna

CLASSIC ITALIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

GRAPE AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Add the bread flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn the mixer on low speed for just 15-20 seconds to evenly distribute the ingredients. Add the warm water. Turn the mixer on low speed for about 5 minutes, making sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated. The dough will be very wet, loose and sticky. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid.
• Allow the dough to rest in a dry, warm place for 30 minutes. Once rested, wet your hands slightly to ensure the dough doesn't stick to your fingers. With one hand, scoop the edge of dough on the farthest side from you, and stretch slightly to gather it in the middle. Rotate the bowl slightly and continue this process until all edges of the dough have been folded to the center. Cover the bowl up again with the plastic wrap or silicone lid, and allow to rest for an additional 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Prepare a baking sheet by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the center, and using a pastry brush or fingers to evenly coat the pan, including the sides. Turn the focaccia dough out onto the oiled baking sheet, using a rubber spatula to get all of it out. With oiled hands, gently work the dough and stretch until it almost covers the whole pan. Don't worry if the dough retracts or doesn't reach the ends of the sheet. Be careful to try and not release bubbles in the dough during this process. Allow the dough to rest in a warm place, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With oiled fingers, gently stretch the dough to cover the entire pan. Make indentations in the dough with your fingers to form dimples all throughout the dough. Distribute the grapes over the focaccia. Sprinkle with the rosemary and the coarse or flakey sea salt. Finish with a generous drizzle of oive oil all over the dough.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Use a metal spatula along the edges if they stick to the pan. Slice into squares and serve.

FOCACCIA WITH CLEMENTINE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stretch the pizza dough to fit the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Evenly distribute the clementine slices, shaved fennel and fennel seeds over the dough, pushing them gently into the dough. Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt and drizzle with an additional teaspoon of olive oil if desired.
• Bake the focaccia until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper. Place the dough and the parchment on a baking sheet.
• Using a pastry brush, cover the top of the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with coarse sea salt. Sprinkle the dough with the garlic, shallot, and rosemary. Spread the grapes over the top of the dough and push down into the dough.
• Bake the focaccia until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

DEBBIE'S VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Melt margarine in a skillet over low heat; cook and stir flour, salt, and pepper into the melted margarine until smooth and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and broth into flour mixture, stirring constantly; bring sauce to a boil. Stir wine into sauce and remove from heat. Stir Parmesan cheese into sauce until smooth.
• Whisk ricotta cheese, egg, and egg white together in a bowl.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; saute carrots, zucchini, and spinach until just becoming tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir vegetable mixture into ricotta mixture.
• Layer 1/3 the lasagna noodles, 1/3 the ricotta-vegetable mixture, and 1/3 the Parmesan sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish; repeat layering 2 more times with remaining ingredients, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.