Radicchio Lasagna With Pancetta Venice Italy Recipes

RADICCHIO PASTICCIO (ITALIAN CHICORY LASAGNA)

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the shallots. cut the taleggio cheese into cubes. Wash the radicchio and cut it into thin strips.
• In a frying pan or iron skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Cook the peeled and finely chopped shallots until they start to soften. Add the radicchio and cook for 10-15 minutes over a very gentle heat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA WITH RADICCHIO AND SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Make the white sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a boil over medium-high heat; keep warm.
• Melt the butter in another medium saucepan.
• Add the flour and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth.
• Raise the heat to high and whisk the sauce until it boils and thickens, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking often, until no floury taste remains, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the salt, pour into a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and let cool.
• Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive medium saucepan.
• Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
• Transfer the tomato sauce to a bowl and let cool slightly.
• Stir in 1 cup of the white sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
• Spread the sliced radicchio on a large baking sheet and toss with 3 tblsps of the olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper and broil for about 6 minutes, stirring often with tongs, until the radicchio is lightly browned and tender.
• Transfer to a large bowl.
• Turn the oven to 350°F.
• Heat 2 more tblsps of the olive oil in a large skillet until almost smoking.
• Add one-third of the shiitakes, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat without stirring, until golden-brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes.
• Stir the mushrooms and continue cooking until tender and browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• Add the mushrooms to the radicchio.
• Repeat the process 2 more times with the remaining olive oil and mushrooms.
• Stir 2 ½ cups of the white sauce into the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
• Add salt to the boiling water.
• Working in batches, cook the lasagne noodles for 1 minute.
• Carefully transfer pasta to a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain on paper towels.
• Lightly butter a 9 X 13 inch nonreactive baking dish.
• Arrange ¼ of the noodles in the dish.
• Spread ¼ of the radicchio mixture over the pasta and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese.
• Repeat the layering process 3 more times and cover with the remaining lasagne noodles.
• Spread the remaining ½ cup white sauce over the pasta and arrange the sliced mozzarella on top.
• Note: The assembled lasagne can be covered and frozen for up to 1 month, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• Let return to room temperature before baking, then pour the milk around the sides of the lasagne.
• Cover the lasagne loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil and continue baking for about 20 minutes longer, or until the lasagne is bubbling and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, reheat the tomato-white sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with lasagne.

MUSHROOM, RADICCHIO, AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA LASAGNE

Steps:

• In a large (12- to 14-inch) non-stick skillet heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté radicchio, stirring, until wilted and golden. In a food processor pulse quartered mushrooms until chopped fine. Add chopped mushrooms to radicchio with salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated.
• In a heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour until smooth. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in milk in a stream and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thick. Stir sauce into mushroom mixture. Mushroom sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
• In cleaned skillet cook garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately low heat until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden and liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Remove skillet from heat and cool. Stir in lemon juice.
• Reserve 1/2 cup smoked mozzarella for topping. In a bowl combine remaining smoked mozzarella with plain mozzarella.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Pour 1 cup mushroom sauce into a baking dish, 13 by 9 by 2 inches (sauce will not cover bottom completely), and cover with 3 lasagne sheets, making sure they do not touch each other. Spread about 1 cup sauce over pasta. Top sauce with one third of sliced mushroom mixture and half of mixed cheeses. Make 1 more layer in same manner, beginning and ending with pasta. Spread remaining sauce evenly over top pasta layer, making sure pasta is completely covered. Spread remaining sliced mushroom mixture evenly over sauce and sprinkle with reserved smoked mozzarella.
• Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagne 10 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagne stand 5 minutes before serving.