Lessons from Ina: How easy is that?

I have a mental list of recipes that I've always wanted to try, but haven't had the guts to. As easy as Ina makes it look, that double-layer chocolate cake really can't be that simple. There are several factors that might shy me a way from a certain recipe: too many ingredients, need for particular (or expensive) cookware, patience. This is why I rarely blog about baking; because I don't have any more space in my apartment to house five different cake pans and I don't have the patience to follow a recipe word for word.

While I don't see myself getting over my baking phobia any time soon, I will brave more savory recipes when I'm feeling adventurous. Some feared recipes that I've been able to cross off my list: frittata, risotto, braised short ribs. The funny thing is, every time I've finally attempted one of these dishes, I'm always surprised at how easy and not scary it is.

So this past Friday evening was the perfect occasion to give lasagna a go. I was having some friends over, so I wanted to serve something that I could prepare ahead of time and just heat up before they arrived (Ina's number one rule when entertaining: never serve something that will keep you over the stove while guests are waiting hungrily). Lasagna has always been hallowed ground for me. Gaga makes lasagna every Christmas Eve, so I've always felt that lasagna was her territory, not to be toyed with. Luckily, this lasagna was for friends, so I didn't have to live up to the decades-old expectations from family and could play with the recipe as needed.

While I tend to use recipes more for inspiration (see above, re: lack of patience), I do stick closely to a recipe when trying something for the first time. So who better to go to than the Food Goddess Herself: Ina. While there was no one part to the recipe that was particularly difficult, it was a bit time consuming between cooking the sauce, pasta, and actual cook time. But all good things come with a wait, right?

Right. So, so right. The lasagna was incredibly cheesy, with so many great flavors - tanginess from the goat cheese, butteriness from the mozzarella, and a fresh, herbiness from the basil. We all went back for seconds and thirds, and yet somehow managed not to feel heavy and weighed down at all. A great dish to feed a crowd or impress your friends, yet relatively simple. As we shoved our faces, cheese oozing down our chins, I couldn't help but think (in the words of Ina): Now, how easy is that?


Ina Garten's Lasagna with Turkey Sausage
serves a crowd
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Pepper

For the lasagna:
1/2 lb lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add the sausage, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and let sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, Parmesan, the egg, the rest of the parsley, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. Ladle a third of a the sauce into a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, spreading over the bottom. Layer  half the noodles, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta and one-third of the sauce. Repeat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to lightly cover the top. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven, until bubbling. (If serving later, refrigerate as needed, but allow to come to room temperature for about an hour before putting in the oven. This is what I did and it worked out great!)

Lotsa layers!

Cheesyliciousness

In the words of Ina, how bad can that be?

Fooding and Schmoozing

Once again, I'm able to reep the benefits of my sweet internship at Behind the Burner. Last night I was sent to the Second Anniversary party at Via Dei Mille in Soho. Funky pop art paintings contrast with the dim lighting and the sexy bar to create a trendy, yet relaxed atmosphere. Even the crowd seemed to match this vibe: lots of beautiful, tall people (Elana and I were probably the shortest people there), with a low maintenance, but put together style. I think we both felt a little out of place, not knowing anyone else and probably being the youngest people there, but a few glasses of prosecco and bellinis helped ease us into the crowd.

Once the waiters started to come around with hors d'oeuvres, we felt much more at ease. Appetizers ranged from Italian classics, such as bruschetta, to modern surprises, such as a caprese salad in a shot glass--a tomato gel-like mousse topped with mozzarella and pesto. A big hit were the risotto balls: risotto with mozzarella cheese and peas, shaped into little balls and fried. Yum. Elana and I were both fans of these teeny-tiny poppyseed rolls, filled with smoked salmon and goat cheese with fresh dill. It was like a mini bagel with lox--not necessarily Italian, but very cute and fun to pop in your mouth.

As guests of the party, we were able to order whatever we wanted off the dinner menu. Elana had squid ink pasta with calamari. I had lasagna with butternut squash and lamb ragout. If you can believe it, I used to hate lasagna when I was a kid. My Ga-ga makes it every year on Christmas Eve. I used to get weirded out by the texture of ricotta cheese and refused to try it. Maybe it was my maturing palette or my ever-growing love of food, but one day I finally tried lasagna and it was like a revelation. I couldn't believe I'd been missing out on such yummy goodness for all these years! Baked layers of pasta, cheese, and tomato sauce...how could you possibly go wrong? Needless to say, I am now an official lasagna lover, and the lasagna at Via Dei Mille was some of the best I have ever tasted (sorry Ga-ga!). The pasta was so tender, and the lamb ragout had such a great meaty flavor, but was still so light and velvety. The butternut squash added an elegant, seasonal twist to this simple comfort food. Regardless of its massive portion, I finished every last bite.

To top off this great meal, Elana and I shared Nutella crepes and Molten Chocolate Lava Cake. We both laughed in delight as we shoveled bites into our mouths. The crepes were especially delicious, and brought us back to memories of eating nutella-banana crepes in Reims, France this summer. Ahh, c'est la vie...

Our night at Via Dei Mille was such a great "New York" experience--important and trendy looking people wining, dining and schmoozing. Maybe one day when I make it as a successful food writer I'll be part of that schmoozin' crowd. But for now, I'm happy to pretend and at the very least, get a free meal...especially when that free meal turns out be great.