The Last Cooking Post, Lasagna = Melancholia

My holiday season cooking binge has come to an end. Not that we are any closer to being out of lock-down and the ennui that produces. No, the sad truth is that I have totally and completely filled my freezers. Yes that's right freezers plural. And with only the two of us here to eat, we probably are down to about nine-months of food. Whew, just enough.

So with that said let's get down to the serious business of food blog posting.

The Component Parts

Cheese sauce using Italian Fontina (instead of Ricotta which I don't like), tomato meat sauce, spinach sauteed with garlic, Italian sausage and meat balls cooked in the sauce, roasted mushrooms

If you are making your own pasta, this flour from Italy IS A MUST!

Seriously the quality of your pasta will be different from anything you make with U.S. bread flour or all-purpose flour

Step One - A layer of olive oil and sauce on the bottom

It is essential, ESSENTIAL, that you use some kind of old, beat up pan when making lasagna!

Step Two - a layer of pasta

I was amazed at how much my noodles expanded when I cooked them

Step Three - a layer of the cut up sausage and meatballs

Step Four - a layer of vegetables

Step Five - Cheese layer one with the sauce and grated cheese

Step Six - Cheese layer two, the mozzarella

I have decided I do not like fresh mozzarella as it has too much water in it. BUT whole milk is mandatory

Step Seven (not pictured) - a layer of sauce

Now repeat steps two through seven to create a second layer

After assembling the second layer, a final pasta layer to seal covered with more sauce and grated cheese

After cooking for one hour at 375

Finished product with a decidedly not-Italian wine

It came out great

And yet despite the culinary success, it was a bit of a melancholy meal. For traditionally, I only make lasagna like this for a group, especially family. And of course in our pandemic world that was not happening at all.

Oh!

Please note and put accolades in the comments section that I actually remembered to take a picture of the finished product AND used the white, presentation friendly plates, for the final shot!