Vincisgrassi is a special dish based on the popular traditional lasagne and is not for the faint hearted and is substantial enough to stand on its own as a main course. There are many stories around its origin, the most popular being that it took its name from an Australian General who besieged the provincial town of Ancona in 1799.
Vincisgrassi Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
- 40g butter
- 2 cotechino sausages, remove casing and chop
- 800g chicken thigh fillets – cut into strips
- 300g chicken livers roughly chopped
- 80ml dry Marsala (a dry sherry is a good substitute)
- 185ml chicken stock
Mushroom Sauce:
- 10g dried porcini mushrooms
- 40g butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 100g button or chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 tbs chicken stock
Other:
- Béchamel sauce made with 90g butter, 60 g flour and 900ml milk
- 100g fresh lasagne or 6 sheets
- 75g Parmesan cheese grated
Method.
- First, make the meat sauce. Heat the butter in a large frying pan and fry the sausage bits until brow. Add the chicken and once brown turn up the heat and add the liver.
- Stirring all the time pour in the Marsala and when it has evaporated add the stock. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes
- Make the mushroom sauce by soaking the dried porcini in 80ml of hand hot water for 30 minutes. Drain then finely chop.
- Meanwhile melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion, and fry until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the porcini and the sliced mushrooms and cook over a high heat for 3 minutes. Add nutmeg, stock and seasoning and simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated.
- Put one third of the béchamel sauce in a container and refrigerate. Then mix the mushroom sauce with the remaining béchamel sauce.
- Cook the fresh pasta according to the instructions making sure that it is al dente. Cool the sheets and dry on a clean tea towel.
- Grease a large, deep, rectangle ovenproof dish and layer pasta overlapping in the base, and then add half the meat sauce and then half the mushroom/béchamel mix. Sprinkle with a third of the Parmesan and then repeat layers, finishing with a layer of pasta. Then cover the vincisgrassi with cling film and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 200º C (400ºF/Gas6). Then spread the remaining béchamel sauce over the top and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes on the middle shelf or until a golden brown. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Preparation and Serving Tips
Preparation Time: It is ideal if this dish is prepared the day before up to step
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours
Serves: 6
Can be frozen
Vincisgrassi is robust enough to be served on its own with a simple green salad if required. The rich flavours of the meat and mushroom sauces demand a full-bodied red wine to accompany the flavours. As Vincisgrassi is a dish for special occasions it is worth spending a little more and the Italian Barolo is a good choice. The Barolo has hints of cherry and cinnamon, is well balanced and a memorable taste.
