The lasagna project

I have aspirations.  I have dreams: of a truly homemade lasagna. 

Lasagna is one of my husband's all-time favorite dishes.  I discovered this our first Valentine's together when we were still dating.  It was clear that Valentine's was not a holiday on my man's radar: his plans were to go to the high school guy's small group.  Rather taken aback, I confirmed with him that he had no plans for us to spend the evening together.  To his credit, he took a completely different tack and invited me over for a movie.  I know, though, that there would be no flowers, no chocolates, no sweet little something to tell me how smitten he was.  In fact, I think we ended up watching a rough-and-tumble action flick rather than a romantic comedy to nurture those budding romantic feelings between us. 

Despite my suitor's lack of romantic leanings, I wanted to give him something.  I had spent many, many Valentine's as part of the Black Hear Club.  Yes, as a joke my friends would hang black construction paper hearts in their college dorm room and sing,  "I am an Island," and I always joined in.  We called the holiday Single's Awareness Day like so many others have.  This was my first Valentine's as a couple, and I wanted to do something for this man I already knew I wanted to marry.  So I made him lasagna.  He ate practically the whole thing during our movie!

Since then, making lasagna for Nick has always held a special place in my heart.  I still remember the enjoyment on his face as he partook of that humble half pan of lasagna; I like to recreate it.  I keep the dish a special occasion one so that it is truly special, not an every day meal like pizza or rice and beans or soup is around here.  In fact, I am making it again this coming Valentine's.  (The intention had been to make it for his birthday as a treat, however we ended up having lasagna twice in the week preceding with each side of our families.)

For this lasagna, I want to make something truly special.  Part of my goals for our health and diet this year is to move more and more away from processed food and to have good, homemade fare.  It does require an upswing in some of my skills, and I think it's good for me.  For Nick's favorite dish, this means a number of new experiences.  For one, I will be using homemade ricotta.  Did you know that you can make homemade ricotta?  I've been going on a bit about it on facebook, and let me tell you, it's worth the hype.  I made my first batch yesterday (rather small, just over a half pint yield), and it was everything I'd hoped it would be: flavorful, creamy, and not grainy like storebought.  Storebough, if you'll forgive me, is has all the flavor of a cardboard box next to this stuff.  Homemade?  The word luscious comes to mind.  I have already eaten the entire batch, stirred with a little homemade marmalade.  Today, I buy more milk and will be making some more!  I truly can't wait to stir in grated parmesan and some herbs into this cheese for the lasagna.

I also want to use fresh pasta.  I'd read once that lasagna is good, but lasagna made with fresh pasta is divine.  I want to test that theory.  We have a pasta roller for our kitchen aid, and I am going to make our lasagna noodles.  I also intend to work on a bolognese sauce using my own red sauce recipe that Nick likes so much.

My only fear is that my expectations will be too high: perhaps it won't be as "divine" as I hope?  Perhaps the inherent joys and beauties of these homemade efforts will be lost?  I kind of doubt it; I hope not.  I have some time to recipe test the meat sauce and to perfect my pasta.  I'll keep you abreast of developments.  Be watching shortly after Valentine's to know how the lasagna turned out.