Dating back to Roman times, lasagna is the best-known baked Italian pasta. A great many variations exist, from the heavy cheese bomb of the college cafeteria to versions with béchamel in place of mozzarella.

We developed a Neapolitan-style lasagna with a distinctive Macrina flair. With the fall and winter nights in mind, we focused on the classic comfort casserole of thin lasagna noodles, an Italian sausage ragù, mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan and fresh herbs. Macrina bread crumbs thicken the sauce. Our secret ingredient is time: a long-simmered sauce so the meat tenderizes and the flavors meld, and the laborious process of carefully layering all the elements.

Because we’ve done the work, your job is simple: Pop it in the oven for an hour and eat.

And since a classic lasagna isn’t the same without a savory loaf of garlic bread with which to mop up the sauce, we’ve got that too. We spread our batard loaf liberally with our made-in-house garlic butter and topped with parmesan and herbs. All you need to do is bake it with the lasagna for the last ten to fifteen minutes until the cheese is golden at the edges, and they’ll both emerge ready to eat at the same time. (Or get a second to enjoy as an appetizer.)

Throw a salad together, open a full-bodied red wine, and mangia!

Ricotta gnocchi are just as Italian as their potato cousins, but they’re easier to make, lighter and melt in your mouth. Making perfect gnocchi takes a little practice, but even imperfectly shaped, they boil into delicate, fluffy pillows. The kale and garlic sauce with Parmesan, cream and roasted walnuts is full of flavor and textures that contrast nicely with the almost ethereal ricotta gnocchi. We use corn in this recipe, but it’s endlessly adaptable to the season. Try fresh tomato in the summer or roasted delicata squash in the winter. We designed the recipe as a first course, but it’s wonderful as an entrée.

– Leslie Mackie

Ingredients:
Serves 5 as an appetizer, 2 as an entrée

1 cup ricotta, part-skim, drained overnight in cheesecloth
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp semolina flour
½ cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1¼ cups walnuts, divided
20 leaves of kale (approx. 10 cups when chopped)
2½ cups corn, or seasonal vegetable (cut into ½-inch cubes)
3 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped, divided
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups heavy cream
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place ricotta, lemon zest, salt and egg in a medium bowl. Whisk until blended. In a separate bowl, combine semolina and all-purpose flours. Sprinkle a quarter of the flour blend over the ricotta mix and use a spoon to incorporate. Add the remaining flour in 3 increments. As the mixture begins to resemble a dough, transfer it to a clean cutting board and gently knead into a ball. When the dough ball holds its shape, let it rest for 3 minutes.

Place ricotta, lemon zest, salt and egg in a medium bowl. Whisk until blended. In a separate bowl, combine semolina and all-purpose flours. Sprinkle a quarter of the flour blend over the ricotta mix and use a spoon to incorporate. Add the remaining flour in 3 increments. As the mixture begins to resemble a dough, transfer it to a clean cutting board and gently knead into a ball. When the dough ball holds its shape, let it rest for 3 minutes.
Set the ball on a floured surface and cut it in half. Roll each half into a 1-inch by 18-inch log. Dust the surface with additional flour if the dough is sticking. Cut each log into ½-inch pieces. Dust your knife with flour if it sticks when you cut.

Using a fork, slightly flatten the gnocchi, leaving little ridges. For a rustic look, gently fold the top over onto itself. Don’t stress about making your gnocchi look perfect. They will puff when boiled. The most important thing is a uniform size. Place the formed gnocchi on a rimmed baking sheet, spaced so they’re not touching. (If preparing gnocchi in advance, freeze gnocchi on the baking sheet, then store them frozen in a zip lock bag. You can boil them straight from the freezer.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Clean kale and trim excess stems. Stack the leaves into a pile, fold in half and cut into ½-inch segments. Set aside.

Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add ¼ cup olive oil. Add the kale and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. When wilted, add the corn and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 5 tsp of garlic and sauté until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the warm vegetables between 5 plates.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi to boiling water and reduce heat slightly to a slow boil. Once the gnocchi rise to the surface (2 to 3 minutes), turn off the heat and allow them to cook for another 2 minutes. Don’t overcook.

While the gnocchi cook, add the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the sauté pan. Increase heat to medium and add shallots. Sauté for 1 minute, then toss in remaining garlic and cook for another minute. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by three-fourths, then add the cream and 1 cup of walnuts. Let simmer for 2 minutes, then add Parmesan cheese and stir until it melts into the cream.

Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked gnocchi and swirl to coat in the sauce. (If the sauce is too thick, add a touch of the salted gnocchi water to thin). Add salt and pepper if needed. Dish gnocchi over the vegetables. Garnish with the remaining chopped walnuts and fresh thyme.

Enjoy!