White Lasagna with Braised Beef, Fontina, Mushrooms, White Truffle Oil and Pancetta
"Truffles are known as one of the most expensive food items worldwide. The Italian regions of Piedmonte, Tuscany, Umbria and Marche are known for producing great truffles and host many festivals during autumn to celebrate the infamous fungi's season"
Ingredients
- 4-5 Pasta sheets with cheese
- 1 quart béchamel sauce
- 2 lb assorted mushrooms (roasted)
- 24 oz pancetta (sliced in strips)
- 2 lb Fontina cheese (shredded)
- TT olive oil
- 2 tbsp white truffle oil
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 quart beef stock
- 2 lb beef stew meat
- TT salt and pepper
- TT fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
- 2 lb Mozzarella cheese
- 2 cup soffritto (fine dice)
Directions
Sauté mushrooms in olive oil until browned evenly. Render pancetta until crisp, drain from fat and set aside. Sear beef stew meat in oil and brown well, add soffritto and cook together with meat then deglaze with wine and reduce by half. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer than cook meat until it is fork tender. Drain meat and fork apart then reduce the broth to a demi. Fold some of the demi back into the meat and season. Meanwhile prepare your favorite béchamel recipe, fold in truffle oil off the heat. Layer ingredients in a baking dish between thawed pasta sheets with Fontina and Parmigiano cheeses. Top with more béchamel and bake covered at 400°F for 30 minutes then remove cover top with more Parmigiano cheese and bake until cheese has browned. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with pancetta and fresh thyme.
