Hail To the Chef

Magickal Recipes of Ron Miller

reprinted from the Compost NewsLetter

Lasagne al ragu d'anatra

Lasagne with duck ragu

For the ragu:
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound duck leg meat, coarsely ground or chopped
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dry oregano
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dry thyme
3 cups canned plum tomatoes, roughly chopped with their juice

Saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil in a heavy pot until the onions become transparent. Add the duck meat and cook until it loses its raw color. Put all the herbs into a bag made from cheesecloth and put it into the pot with the tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for about 2 hours, skimming the fat from the surface from time to time. At the end there should be about 3 cups of rich-tasting ragu. Adjust the seasoning and set aside.

For the bechamel:
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
some freshly grated nutmeg

In a small saucepan bring the milk to a boil. Meanwhile melt the butter over low heat in another saucepan. When the butter melts add the flour and let it bubble for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Off the heat, add the hot milk all at once, stirring with a whisk. Return to the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has reached the consistency of heavy cream. Strain into a bowl and set aside to cool.

For the pasta:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
3 whole eggs

Mix the all purpose and semolina flour together in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour, break in the eggs and begin mixing the eggs and flour together. When the dough comes together in a mass, knead it until the texture is smooth and silky. Roll the dough with a pasta machine in progressively thinner settings until the thinnest setting is reached. Cut the pasta strips the same length as the lasagne pan you will use. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until tender then refresh in cold water. Dry the pasta strips between two towels and set aside.

To assemble the lasagne:
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of ragu on the bottom of the lasagne pan. Place a layer of pasta over it. Spread some ragu over the pasta, then spread bechamel over the ragu. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the bechamel. Place another layer of pasta on top and then some ragu, bechamel and cheese. Repeat the process until you have built 6 to 8 layers of pasta and come no closer than 1/2 inch to the top of the pan. Spread bechamel on the top layer, sprinkle with parmesan and dot with butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until a golden crust forms on top. Serve directly from the pan.

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