Episode Seven

Lasagne alla Bolognese

Lasagne alla Bolognese is just one of the many examples of what you can do with your very versatile ragu sauce that you have made! Lasagne in Italy is made very different than the lasagne in America. Traditionally in America you make lasagne with ricotta and maybe very unfortunately cottage cheese, sick! So instead of ricotta Italians use what is called béchamel or just put and a on the end of it and thats what the Italians call it! I remember the first time I had Lasagne in Italy, I was in the first city that I lived in while I was there. It was just a very small town called Mantova. It was exactly what I thought Italy was going to look like, very pretty and very old world. Anyway getting back on subject, I remember it being very different and I was not sure what to think of it. But the more I tasted it and the more that I had lasagne while I was in Italy, the more I realized how much better lasagne was the Italian way! Lasagne, also can be done in hundreds of different ways. You don't have to be restricted with what I show you in this episode. Just remember to replace you ricotta with béchamel and then go from there. It will take you some practice to get a good béchamel sauce down, but once you do your lasagnes will forever be happy!

Ingredients :

Ragu sauce

Box and a half of lasagne 

Béchamel:

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 cup flower

Four to Five cups milk

Parmigiono four to five cups or more

 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Episode Six

This is one of my favorite dishes I ate while I was living in Italy! I saw this dish made many different ways from the different regions that I lived in. From the Venito which is the region that venice is in, all the way down to La Spezia, which is where Genova is. You can find carbonara where ever you go in Italy, and its possibilities are endless. My personal favorite way to eat carbonara is the way I make it on this episode. It is simple and very elegant, and if seasoned right it can be an explosion of flavor in your mouth! Megan's favorite way of eating carbonara is with tortellini instead of spaghetti, and with cream in it as well. But the best part of this dish is that it is very very easy to make, and takes maybe twenty minutes at the most. 

Episode Five

Ragu

This episode easily is my favorite dish in the whole world! Ragu! Ever since I first tried while living in Italy I have loved it more and more every time I have made it. What makes this sauce so amazing to me is it can be done ten thousand different ways. I do not think I have made this sauce the same way one time in the many times that I have made it. It is a bit time consuming, but don't worry spend a saturday making it with the wife, or your kids, or your fiends, or who ever. Have fun with this dish and be creative, and your patience will be well rewarded. 

Ingredients:

2 sweet onions

3 celery stocks

3 large carrots sticks

1 lb ground beef

1 lb bacon

1 lb ground lamb

6 ounce can organic tomato paste

2-3 cups wine, white or red

1 cup cream

Salt/ Pepper