Recipe of the Week

Sloppy Lasagna 

Cook time: 45 minutes

Yield:  8 servings

• 1 box curly edge lasagna noodles
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground beef and pork mix
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, grated or finely chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• A handful basil leaves, torn (if you don't have fresh, use 1 tablespoon dried basil)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups milk, eyeball the amount
• Nutmeg, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 cups ricotta cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Break all of the pasta sheets into irregular, larger than single bite-sized pieces. Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook to a little shy of al dente. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot or large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat, press it into an even layer and brown it for 3 to 4 minutes before moving. Turn the meat and add the onions and grated carrot. Stir and cook a few minutes to soften, then add the garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and the cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, wait for 1 minute then add the wine. Reduce for a minute more, then add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the basil.

While the sauce simmers, in a medium sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and nutmeg, and season generously with salt and pepper.  Let cook for a couple of minutes to thicken, then stir in 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and turn off the heat.  Heat a broiler.

Add the meat sauce to the bowl with the pasta and toss. Layer half of the pasta into a lasagna pan and scatter with dollops of ricotta cheese. Top with remaining pasta. Pour the white sauce over the pasta and scatter the remaining 1 cup of the grated cheese over the top. Put under the broiler to brown and bubble. Remove from the broiler and serve.

Note:
This is a Rachel Ray recipe I found and modified.  As an Italian, I have a certain way of making my sauce, and it usually doesn't include cinnamon.  But I will say, the cinnamon in this sauce was top notch, especially with the white wine.  Don't leave those two ingredients out.  The grated carrot was a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients and neither of my picky eaters noticed it was in there.  Best thing about this meal...LEFT OVERS!