Baked Lasagne in Broth alla Molisana
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs
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Servings
4
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Calories
1246 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Baked Lasagne in Broth alla Molisana
Description
This recipe involves making a rich broth by simmering a whole chicken or stewing hen and veal with celery, carrot, onion, and optionally small tomatoes until the meat is fully cooked and the broth is flavorful. The meats are shredded and kept moist with some broth. Meatballs are prepared separately by mixing minced veal, Parmesan cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, and seasoning before frying gently in olive oil until browned.
Using fresh or dried lasagne sheets, which should be blanched if dried, the dish is assembled layering pasta, broth, shredded meats, meatballs, and shredded mozzarella and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. A pinch of nutmeg adds subtle warmth to the finished lasagne. This lasagne is baked in the broth, resulting in a moist pasta dish with the flavors of tender meat and broth infused throughout.
Some cooks prefer to strain the broth to remove vegetables, but including them adds texture and rustic character to the dish. Cooling or refrigerating the shredded meat mixture with broth ahead helps maintain its softness. The dish reflects traditional Italian techniques from the Molise region.
Ingredients
- 200 g lasagne sheets (7oz) I used ready made fresh lasagne from Giovanni Rana. You can make your own pasta or use dried lasagne
For the broth
- 1 chicken medium sized, or stewing hen
- 250 g veal (9oz) loin or shoulder
- 2 celery washed, stalks
- 2 carrot washed
- 1 onion peeled
- 2 tomato small (optional
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For meatballs
- 250 g veal 9oz, minced
- 50 g Parmesan Cheese grated (2oz)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs either fresh bread soaked in milk and squeezed or dried ready made breadcrumbs
- nutmeg
- salt to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil
to finish the dish
- 2 mozzarella balls 125g each (4oz each)
- 100 g parmigiano reggiano grated (3.5 oz)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- First you need to prepare a good broth with the chicken/stewing hen and the piece of veal, plus the celery, carrot, onion and a couple of small tomatoes.
- Wash the celery, carrots and tomatoes. Cut the celery and carrots into large pieces. Peel the onion and cut in half.
- Put all the ingredients into a deep pot. Cover with water, season with salt and pepper and simmer for a couple of hours. Skim off the fat that comes to the top.
- Once the broth is ready and the meat is cooked, shred the boiled chicken and veal into small pieces. If you do this the day before, keep the meat in a bowl with a little broth so that it remains soft. Keep the rest of the broth for preparing and serving the dish.
Make the meatballs
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl (except the oilve oil). Mix together well with your hands. Shape small round meatballs using your hands. Refrigerate the meatballs for 15-30 minutes.
- Fry the meatballs gently in a frying pan with a little heated olive oil until browned all over. You don’t need to cook them through. Set aside.
Finish the dish
- Drain the mozzarella and cut into pieces. Pour a little stock onto the bottom of an oven dish and make a first layer of lasagne sheets on top of it.
- Spread some of the mixed shredded boiled meat over the pasta. Add some meatballs and pieces of mozzarella. Moisten with broth, without fear of exaggerating because you need quite a lot. Finish the layer by sprinkling with grated Parmigiano and a little nutmeg.
- Repeat with another layer of pasta, shredded meat, meatballs, mozzarella and Parmigiano and nutmeg.
- Repeat and finish with a layer of pasta. Sprinkle with lots of Parmigiano. Add enough broth so the broth reaches half way up the sides of the dish.
- Bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°. Serve with extra heated broth in a deep bowl or plate with more grated Parmigiano if required.
Notes
- If using dried lasagne sheets, blanch them in boiling water before assembling to ensure tenderness.
- Some prefer straining the broth before assembly, but including vegetables can add texture and flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1246 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1246kcal | 62% |
| Carbohydrates | 66g | 22% |
| Protein | 87g | 174% |
| Fat | 69g | 106% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 9g | 53% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 28g | 140% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 310mg | 103% |
| Sodium | 1080mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 1229mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 6236IU | 125% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 626mg | 63% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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