Estate Comforts
Lasagna Roll-ups
The Strategy:
Prepare these delightful lasagna rolls up to a day in advance, ensuring a relaxed pace for your entertaining and simply baking them before serving. Flexibly fill each 'rock and roll' with your favorite robust lasagna ingredients, creating a beautiful balance of flavors and textures within individual portions. Present them bubbling hot from the oven, perhaps with a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan and basil, for an elegant and fuss-free family-style meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced, about 1 cup
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground round beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 8 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about 2 cups, divided
- 1 (8.8-ounce) package fresh lasagna noodles, about 6 (8 x 4-inch) sheets
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated, about 1 cup
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sausage and beef and cook until browned, about 5 to 8 minutes more.
- Stir in the garlic, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Season with basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Press the spinach through a colander to get rid of as much moisture as possible. Place the spinach into a bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese, egg, basil, and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Preheat your oven to 375°.
- Place a ladle full of sauce into the bottom of an 11 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
- Place one noodle sheet on your work surface. Cut in half lengthwise to create 2 long noodles. Spoon sauce over one noodle. Top the sauce with some of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Roll the noodle over the filling and place seam side down into the pan.
- Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling.
- Drizzle the top of the roll-ups with the remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the cheeses melt and bubbles, about 25 to 30 minutes.
The full recipe lives in the Vault
Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.
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The Heart of the Table
This is the elegant evolution of the traditional baked casserole. By individually rolling the pasta, each serving becomes a meticulously crafted, self-contained masterpiece. It guarantees that every single guest receives the perfect, highly aesthetic ratio of rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and delicate pasta in a stunning plated presentation.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve two tightly rolled portions per guest on wide, shallow, dark ceramic plates. Spoon a generous ribbon of the dark red sausage and beef sauce directly over the top before carrying them to the dining room, allowing the white ricotta edges to peak out cleanly from the sides.
- THE POUR: A bold, structurally complex Italian red, such as a Barolo or a heavy Sangiovese. The intense tannin structure is required to cut through the heavy richness of the Italian sausage and the deep creaminess of the ricotta.
- THE VIBE: Formal, controlled, and deeply hospitable. This is ideal for an intimate, candlelit dinner party where you want the comfort of a heavy pasta dish but the aesthetic plating control of fine dining.
