My Prairie Cookbook (12 page)

This may not be American prairie food, but I'll bet it was served often on the frontier in Italy. Remember—they had settlers too! Just picture it: the Leone family sitting around the fire in their Little House in Umbria while Papa plays his violin and Signore Edwards sings that famous Italian song, “Old Danielli Tuckeroni.” All of the Leone children laughing and eating mounds of Mama Leone's famous lasagna . . .

There are three steps to making this authentic lasagna recipe. The first is making the basic meat sauce. This is the base of the lasagna and must be made first because it takes time to simmer and develop full flavor. Then you'll make the béchamel sauce, and then you'll assemble and bake the casserole. If you want to be
really
traditional, you could make your own pasta dough, which is not difficult but is very time-consuming. I much prefer to use the no-boil lasagna noodles, which taste great and make the recipe much easier.

Serves 6 to 8

For the Meat Sauce:

¼ to ⅓ cup (60 to 75 ml) olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your pot)

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

¼ cup (30 g) chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1½ pounds (680 g) mix of lean ground beef and ground turkey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup (75 ml) white wine

2 (28-ounce/800-g) cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Make the meat sauce:

•
In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil. Then add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the meat and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Cook the meat until brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has been absorbed into the meat. Add the tomatoes and sugar and mix thoroughly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours.

For the Béchamel Sauce:

½ cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter

½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour

3 cups (720 ml) warm whole milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Meanwhile, make the béchamel sauce:

•
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour while stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the milk and continue to stir. (Do not stop stirring the sauce or it will become lumpy.) Add salt and pepper to taste and the nutmeg (if using). Set aside.

For the Assembly:

3 (9-ounce/255-g) boxes no-boil lasagna noodles

6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1½ pounds/690g; more or less depending on preference)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3½ pounds/100g; more or less depending on preference)

Assemble the lasagna:

•
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

•
In a deep 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish, assemble the lasagna in alternating layers. Begin with a layer of meat sauce, then a layer of pasta, followed by more meat sauce, some mozzarella, some Parmesan, and some béchamel. Continue layering in this order until the dish is full but not overflowing, ending with the béchamel.

•
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Let it rest and firm up for about 10 minutes before serving.

Let's stay on the Italian prairie for the moment. Mama Leone has been working all day helping Papa Leone pick the grapes for the wine. She is tired and all of the little Leones are hungry. Good thing she dried those porcinis last season! Like Mama Leone, I keep the ingredients for this dish around all the time. It's my go-to dish when I'm working and don't have a lot of time to cook. My family loves this one.

Serves 4 to 6

1 ounce (30 g) dried porcini mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound (455 g) fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped

8 ounces (225 g) fresh portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped off, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 dried bay leaf

⅓ cup (75 ml) dry red wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound (455 g) bow tie, fusilli, or penne pasta

1 cup (240 ml) beef broth

¼ cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3½ ounces/100g), plus more for serving

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•
Put the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and pour hot water over them. Let them stand until the mushrooms soften, about 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a work surface and coarsely chop. Discard the soaking liquid.

•
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped porcini, the cremini and portobello mushrooms, garlic, and bay leaf. Sauté until the mushrooms are brown and tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until almost all the liquid evaporates, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Season the mushroom mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

•
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well.

•
Stir the broth and cream into the mushroom mixture, put it back on the stove over medium heat, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the Parmesan, butter, and drained pasta; toss to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, with more Parmesan.

I adore macaroni and cheese. Whenever I see it on a menu at a restaurant, I have to order it. I've had (and consequently made) fried mac and cheese balls, lobster mac and cheese, truffle mac and cheese,
quattro formaggi
mac and cheese, and Kraft mac and cheese. Now, don't get me wrong—all of the fancy macaroni and cheese dishes have been delectable and enjoyable, but at home, I like a simple, delicious mac and cheese. So here's my recipe. This dish is best when served during a game or movie night with family and friends.

Serves 8 to 10

8 ounces (225 g) elbow macaroni

1½ cups Velveeta cheese (about 7 ounces/190g), cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

1½ teaspoons dry mustard

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

⅔ cup (165 ml) sour cream

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1½ cups (360 ml) half-and-half

1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream

⅓ cup (55 g) grated onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces/230g)

•
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish. Bring a 4-quart (3.8-L) saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the baking dish. Stir in the cubed Velveeta.