The term lasagne refers to an Italian first course based on egg pasta, red meat sauce, béchamel and parmesan or parmesan cheese; in practice, the noun "lasagne" is commonly used as a synonym for "lasagne alla bolognese".
There are Lasagna ... and Lasagna
The noun "lasagne" should only indicate the type / cut of pasta.
This statement is justifiable by the fact that, deepening the numerous Italian recipes, each formula differs in the specific accompanying sauce. Classic examples are: lasagne alla bolognese, lasagna aurora (sauce based on tomato, bechamel and parmesan), green lasagna with mushrooms (condiment based on sautéed mushrooms, bechamel and parmesan), lasagna alla norma (condiment based on aubergines, ricotta and parmesan), fish lasagna (a condiment based on aurora sauce, fish, molluscs and crustaceans), pumpkin and cheese lasagna (a condiment based on oven-cooked pumpkin, gorgonzola and smoked scamorza), etc.
In certain areas of the peninsula, the term lasagna is often used in reference to another type of egg pasta; it is a long, laminated cut, better said lasagnette. This sort of "large tagliatella" is the largest type of long pasta and it is not to be excluded that, for this reason, an even more impressive variety has been defined lasagna. In any case, while resembling the nutritional content, we remember that lasagna is a fresh pasta filled and au gratin in the oven, while lasagnette are a long fresh pasta typically sautéed in a pan.
Other "gastronomic misunderstandings" frequently arise from the "use of the term" lasagna "to indicate various layered preparations (even different from first courses); therefore, crepe lasagna, puff pastry lasagna and even vegetable lasagna are not uncommon. recently, with the spread of the vegan philosophy, lasagna with courgettes, aubergines, etc., suitably layered with tofu and au gratin with other vegan products, are increasingly easy to find.
There are also variations that affect the composition of the main ingredients: pasta, meat sauce, béchamel and cheese. Once again the vegans surprise us, using soy derivatives instead of cheese and cow's milk, or wheat muscle, seitan, tempeh etc. to replace the meat sauce etc. (see the recipes: Homemade Soy Milk, Vegan Grana Cheese, Vegan Béchamel, Seitan Vegetable Ragout).
However, what has always stimulated the creativity of the experts is the formulation of fresh egg pasta. Therefore, many variations have been created, which modify: the color, the flavor, the nutritional and physical characteristics (kept in cooking, binding capacity, hydration potential, etc.) of the pasta. It is possible to range from very simple lasagna with wholemeal flour, to products obtained by mixing powders of other cereals, such as: spelled, spelled, barley, oats, etc. ( generally exploited for the higher content of fiber, mineral salts and certain vitamins).
How can we not also consider the mixtures based on wheat flour and legume flour (5-10%); for example of soy, beans, chickpeas, peas, broad beans, lupins, etc. (often used by vegans to improve the biological value of proteins).
As far as color is concerned, it is really possible to obtain almost any type of facet; by adding a percentage of chestnut flour, for example, it is possible to obtain a very particular brownish color. Not least, using spinach flour or cooked spinach, squeezed and beaten with a knife, lasagna of a bright green color would be obtained (softer with pea or broad bean flour). To reinforce the yellow color and give a specific aroma, saffron, curry, turmeric and sweet paprika are commonly used. With cuttlefish ink, on the other hand, lasagna of an intense black is obtained; while using a thick red turnip puree you will get Carmine red lasagna.
It is however important to underline that the resistance of the pasta during cooking is optimal ONLY using type 00 wheat flour or, at the most, durum wheat semolina (more difficult to handle).
In the next paragraph a light version of the Bolognese lasagna will be illustrated. Be careful though! It is not a totally distorted food, but a dish slightly depleted of starch, fortified in soluble fiber, reduced in cholesterol, energy lipids (especially saturated ones), but proportionally with more proteins.
Classic Lasagna Bolognese Recipe VS Light Recipe
Light Bolognese Lasagna
Ingrediants:
- Fresh Egg Pasta (400g flour type 00 and 4 medium chicken eggs)
- Bolognese Ragù (50-80g celery - carrots - chopped onion, 30g extra virgin olive oil, 500g ground beef-pork mixture, 250g Tomato puree, 125ml white wine, Meat broth, Salt to taste, Black Pepper to taste)
- Béchamel (1l Whole Cow's Milk, 60g Butter, 60g Flour 00, 30-40g Grated Cheese, Salt QB, Black Pepper QB, Nutmeg QB), Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano Fine Grated (200-300g), Butter QB.
Ingrediants:
- Fresh egg pasta (400g flour with added inulin * and 100g of egg whites),
- Light Bolognese Ragù (50-80g celery - carrots - chopped onion, 5-10g extra virgin olive oil, 500g chosen mixed ground (rump of beef and leg of pork), 250g tomato puree, 125ml white wine, qb broth Defatted meat, 1 beef bone, salt to taste, black pepper to taste),
- Light Béchamel (1l Skimmed Cow's Milk, 60g flour with inulin, 30-40g of grated cheese, Salt QB, Black Pepper QB, Nutmeg QB), Parmigiano Reggiano or Fine Grated Grana Padano (200-300g).
Preparation of Bolognese Ragù:
Gently brown the chopped vegetables in the oil; add the minced meat and brown again until all the water has evaporated; blend with the wine and let it evaporate; add the tomato puree and cover with the broth; continue to add liquid until to complete the cooking for a couple of hours; adjust with salt and pepper.
Preparation Ragù Ragù alla Bolognese Light
Brown the chopped vegetables in the oil and water in a cold non-stick pan; add the minced meat and brown again until all the water has evaporated; blend with the wine and let it evaporate; add the tomato sauce, the bone beef and cover with broth; continue to add liquid until cooking is complete for a couple of hours; adjust with salt and pepper.
NB. The beef bone, which must be removed at the end of cooking, helps to increase the flavor and aroma of the light ragù which, being lean, is less pleasant than the traditional one.
Preparation of fresh egg pasta
Arrange the flour in a fountain; add the eggs without shell inside and shape the dough until it reaches uniformity and a smooth surface; let it rest for 30 "in the refrigerator, well covered by the film; in the meantime, boil a pot with plenty of salted water; roll out a rolling pin of the desired thickness and shape rectangles of the same size as the future baking pan; alternatively, with the baking machine lamination, make strips that we will shape as you like; then, blanch the sheets of pasta without cooking them completely, cool them in ice water and spread them on a cloth to dry them.
Preparation of fresh egg pasta
Place the flour added in inulin in a fountain; add the egg whites inside and shape the dough until it reaches uniformity and a smooth surface; let it rest for 30 "in the refrigerator, well covered by the film; in the meantime, boil a pot with plenty of salted water; roll out a rolling pin of the desired thickness and shape rectangles of the same size as the future baking pan; alternatively, with the baking machine lamination, make strips that we will shape as you like; then, blanch the sheets of pasta without cooking them completely, cool them in water with ice and spread them on a cloth to dry them.
NB. To color the pasta you can add food coloring to the flour fountain (don't worry, it's about carotenoids or provitamin A, pigments naturally present in carrots, egg yolk, etc.).
Béchamel preparation
Heat the salted and peppered milk with the nutmeg; make a roux with the flour and butter in a saucepan over moderate heat; then add the boiling milk to the roux pan a little at a time, whipping vigorously to avoid lumps and maintaining a moderate flame; interrupt once the desired consistency is obtained and add a handful of grated cheese.
Preparation Light Béchamel
Heat the salted and peppered milk with the nutmeg; in a saucepan, over moderate heat, add the flour a little at a time through a sieve, whipping vigorously to avoid lumps; interrupt once the desired consistency is obtained and add a handful of grated cheese.
Lasagna preparation
Butter a pan, preferably non-stick. Spread a first layer of meat sauce or bechamel; overlap one or more sheets of pasta and then spread the ragù, béchamel and grated cheese; make up about 5 layers; conclude with meat sauce, béchamel, grated cheese and a few flakes of butter; au gratin in the oven at a temperature of 160-180 ° C for 40-30 ", depending on the mode or ventilated or static.
Lasagna preparation
Grease a pan, preferably non-stick. Spread a first layer of meat sauce or bechamel; overlap one or more sheets of pasta and then spread the ragù, béchamel and grated cheese; make up about 5 layers; conclude with meat sauce, bechamel and grated cheese; au gratin in the oven at a temperature of 160-180 ° C for 40-30 ", depending on the mode or ventilated or static.
Chemical Difference and Nutritional Considerations
We start from the assumption that, due to the wide heterogeneity of the innumerable variations, lasagna alla bolognese does NOT represent an easy recipe to translate; however, it is still possible to say that it is an extremely caloric product.
On the other hand, by using the Light recipe above, it is possible to substantially modify the nutritional impact of this preparation. Without going into too much detail:
- Compared to white type 00 flour, every 100g contains 50kcal less and 5g more (soluble) fiber; this means that on the whole recipe above, it is possible to "save" up to 235kcal and enjoy another 23g of dietary fiber.
- By means of the small precautions adopted regarding the "oil for sautéing for the meat sauce and the butter for the béchamel sauce and for gratinating (which are not used), the Light recipe" lightens itself by 72g (average value) of "useless" fatty acids from seasoning, or roughly 644kcal; in addition, 130mg of cholesterol also seems to be lacking.
- Also not negligible is the reduction in cholesterol due to the exclusion of yolks; obviously, not everyone would be comfortable eating a white lasagna, therefore it was suggested to add carotenoids; depriving the lasagna of the yolks, in addition to reducing the recipe by 20g of fatty acids (180kcal), 870mg of cholesterol is avoided!
- Using beef rump and defatted pork leg rather than, for example, two fatty cuts such as brisket and fatty sirloin, you can save up to 260kcal deriving mainly from 28-30g less fat.
In short, Light Lasagne alla Bolognese provide, for the entire recipe: 1320-1330kcal less - 23g more soluble dietary fiber - 120-130g less fatty acids (most of which saturated) and over 1000mg of less cholesterol.
Translated per serving, it is about: 110-150kcal less - 2-2.5g more soluble dietary fiber - 10-14g less fatty acids (most of which saturated) and over 85-110mg less cholesterol .
Let's be clear, lasagna Bolognese remains a very caloric first course and to be consumed sparingly, in order to avoid excessively altering the nutritional balance of the diet; however, by using this light recipe, it is certainly possible to reduce the risk of calorie-nutritional excess.
Vegetable Lasagna with Genoese Pesto
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