Best Lasagna Ever!

Poldo e Gianna in Rome            

One of our favorite meals in Rome was at Poldo e Gianna. As we were walking through the rainy streets of Rome, we saw a sign for the restaurant, which happened to be closed at the time. Once back in our hotel, we googled it and read great reviews, so we decided to try it for dinner the next night.

An "osteria" typically serves simple food and wine. The menus are short and highlight local, seasonal dishes. This osteria is named after the owner's grandparents, and one of their signature dishes is white lasagna.

White Lasagna at Poldo e Gianna

The recipe is a family secret, but as you can see, it looks very different than the lasagna we're used to seeing in the United States.

Typical American Lasagna

Big differences between the two, right? The American version is much redder, more tomato based and LOADED with ricotta and mozzarella cheese. That's the way I've made it for years. Well, no more!

After returning to the States I googled white lasagna until I found a recipe that I thought matched what we had in Rome. I also knew that bechamel sauce was the base, which helped point me in the right direction. Here's a link to the recipe we used for last night's lasagna. I did not make my own lasagna noodles (goals!), but I did make my own bechamel and ragu.


Changes I made:
I used more than a pinch of nutmeg to the bechamel, probably 3 pinches
I used a little more than half of a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, recipe called for 8 oz (250 grams)
I used about a half of a box of store bought lasagna noodles and that cut it close, next time cook the whole box and ...
Instead of using a 13x9 baking dish, use a smaller one so that you can have more layers

We sprinkled freshly grated Parmigiano cheese over the top before baking, but if you don't like cheese, you can skip that step.

I should add that making bechamel sauce is not the easiest thing in the world, but it's not impossible. Be careful with your heat and don't stop whisking until it's completely mixed together.

Buon Appetito!