Sicilian lasagna: the recipe for the perfect first course for Sunday lunch

The Sicilian lasagna I’m a first simple and delicious, a sort of baked pasta typical of the regional tradition, perfect for Sunday lunch in the family, one dinner with friends or to propose at parties and anniversaries. It is made up of alternating layers of egg puff pastry, ragù, mozzarella and cooked ham: with its inebriating aroma and stringy heart, it will conquer adults and children alike.

To prepare them, you will need to make a Sicilian ragù with mixed beef and pork, which differs from the Neapolitan and Bolognese versions for the addition of peas, fresh or frozen based on your availability, and for the aromas typical of island cuisine, such as basil and bay leaves. Once ready, narrow and full-bodied, you can distribute it on a baking tray and start assembling everything, placing the egg pasta, which you can buy or make at home, the béchamel sauce, the mozzarella, well dried and cut into slices, and the cooked ham. and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan.

All you need to do is bake at 200°C for 30 minutes, until an inviting shape has formed. golden crust. The result will be a substantial dish, which you can even make in a day’s time advance and place in the refrigerator, sealed with transparent film, and then heat it for a few minutes in the oven; alternatively, you can store it, well covered, and proceed with cooking just before serving: it will be an ideal solution for those who have little time.

Like all traditional recipes, this one also knows a lot variations: it is possible to find them, in fact, with boiled eggs, vegetables or other types of cheeses. You too can, therefore, personalize it as you prefer, replacing the mozzarella with scamorza or provola, for a smokier taste, or adding other cured meats, even spicy, for a touch tasty.

Find out how to prepare Sicilian lasagna by following the step-by-step procedure and advice. If you liked this recipe, also try your hand at pasticcio alla Norma and pasta ‘ncasciata, made famous by Inspector Montalbano.

How to prepare Sicilian lasagna

Chop the celery, carrot and onion, then sauté them in a saucepan with a generous drizzle of oil 1.

Add the minced meat and break it up using a wooden spoon 2.

Brown it over high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the frozen peas 3 or, if you have them available, fresh.

After a few minutes, add the tomato puree and basil, add salt and mix 4 and let it cook for about 2 hours.

During cooking, add a few ladles of hot water, if necessary. The final consistency of the ragù must be creamy 5.

Make the lasagna: spread a layer of ragù on the bottom of the pan, arrange a first layer of pasta and another of ragù 6.

Add the mozzarella slices 7.

Add a layer of béchamel sauce and the cooked ham 8 and grated cheese.

Continue until you run out of ingredients, forming at least 4 layers. Finish with plenty of ragù and grated cheese 9. Bake the lasagne at 200°C, in ventilated mode, for about 30 minutes, until a nice golden crust forms. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Transfer the individual portions to serving plates and enjoy your Sicilian lasagna 10.

storage

Sicilian lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container, for example 2 days to the utmost. If you only used fresh ingredients, you can freeze them already portioned, up to 1 month.