A Twist on Lasagna

We’ve done it again.  Another revolution – one full orbit around the sun.

Growing up we had quiet New Year’s celebrations.  Usually a candle lit dinner with mom’s fine china and a main course of lasagna.  Why lasagna?  I have no idea.  It’s certainly not part of our Polish heritage, but my mom made a mean lasagna!

Today, we are posting a twist on lasagna (pun intended).  Called nidi di rondine, literally swallow’s nest,  this dish has it all.  Homemade pasta, tomato sauce, cheese sauce, more cheeses, prosciutto. . .   not to mention the lovely presentation.

There are several steps, but they’re not difficult and putting it all together is fun.  Why not involve the family in the process?  Make the pasta dough, burble the sauces, roll out the dough and cook it up, top the pasta, roll and cut. Top it with yet more cheese and pop it in the oven.

Now pour yourself a lovely Sangiovese and toast the new year.

Cheers !

Here’s to the next revolution.

Nidi Di Rondine

     Make basic pasta  click here for recipe

Tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon grated garlic
8 ounces plain tomato sauce 
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Stir in onions and cook until translucent.
Gently whisk in garlic, tomato sauce and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for a minute.
Season with pepper. Remove from heat and reserve.

Cheese sauce
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt  butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Gently whisk in flour and continue to whisk until there are no clumps.
Pour in milk and bring to a boil, whisking continually. When boiling reduce heat to medium high and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk continually.

Whisk in cheese. Cook two minutes and whisk continually.

Preheat oven to 375 F
Make the nests
1/2 pound of the pasta dough  (refrigerate or freeze remaining dough)
reserved cheese sauce, room temperature
the reserved tomato sauce, room temperature 
1/4 pound very thinly sliced Fontina cheese
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large soup pot full of salted water to a boil over high heat.

1. Place pasta dough on a clean, flat surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.  Use a rolling pin to flatten dough, and roll it out to a very thin 12×18-inch rectangle.
Cut the rectangle into thirds (like long lasagna).
Place one strip of pasta in the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Use a big, slotted spoon to remove paste from water and place strip on a clean, dry cloth.  Repeat with remaining pasta strips.
Arrange each strip so that you re-assemble the rectangle, overlapping the strips by about 1/2-inch.

3.  When pasta has cooled, evenly cover it with  1/2 of the cheese sauce then all of the tomato sauce.

4.  Arrange Fontina over sauces then top with prosciutto.

5.  Roll this masterpiece lengthwise as tightly as you can. It will look like a long jelly roll.

6. Cut the roll into 12 even slices about 1 1/2-inches thick.
Cover the bottom of a 6-inch by 11-inch ovenproof  baking dish with the remaining cheese sauce. 
Place pasta nests in baking dish, cut side up.

7.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes or until golden.