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1
Roll the 20 ounces of pasta dough into thin wide sheets and briefly cook them, following the procedures on page 205.
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2
Slice the meatballs into rounds about 1/3 inch thick.
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3
Warm the sugo or tomato sauce if necessary, to spreadable consistency.
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4
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 375.
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5
Lightly butter the baking dish.
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Coat the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 cup sauce.
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7
Drape pasta sheets the length of the pan so that they cover the bottom of the dish completely and extend over the short sides of the pan by 6 inches or so.
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8
Spread 1/3 cup sauce over the pasta in the bottom of the pan.
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9
Drape pasta sheets perpendicular to the first, across the width of the pan, with the ends of the sheets extending over the long sides of the pan by 6 inches or so.
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10
Over this pasta, spread 1/3 cup sauce and half the ricotta (1 cup), and sprinkle over it 1/3 cup of grated cheese and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
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11
Lay down pasta to cover just the inside of the pan, cutting sheets to fit.
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12
Spread 2/3 cup of sauce over, and arrange the meatball slices side by side on top.
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13
Sprinkle on 1/3 cup grated cheese, and spread 1/3 cup sauce over that.
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14
Lay down another layer of pasta to cover the fillings, cutting sheets to fit.
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15
Spread 2/3 cup of sauce over the pasta and the rest of the ricotta over the sauce.
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16
Lay down another layer of pasta to cover the fillings, spread 1/3 cup sauce over the pasta, and scatter 3/4 cup of shredded cheese on top.
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17
Lay down another layer of pasta to cover, and spread 1/3 cup sauce over it.
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Fold the overhanging flaps of pasta onto the top of the lasagna.
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If they dont meet and cover the surface, cut a piece of pasta to fit, or use all the remaining pasta here.
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20
Spread the remaining 1/3 cup sauce, and sprinkle on the remaining 3/4 cup of shredded cheese and the last 1/3 cup of grated cheese.
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21
Use a long sheet of foil to form a tent over the pan, as described in the Pasticciata Bolognese recipe (page 200).
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22
Make sure the foil doesnt touch the lasagna, and poke five or six small holes in the foil to vent steam.
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23
Set the pan on a baking sheet, put it in the oven, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until bubbling juices indicates that its cooking all the way through.
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24
Remove the foil without touching the top of the lasagna.
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25
Bake uncovered for another 20 minutes or so, until the top is deeply colored and crisp.
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26
Let the lasagna sit uncovered for 20 minutes to settle before cutting it in squares and serving.
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27
Often when youre layering a lasagna or pasticciata youll find yourself not using up a final strip or two of pasta.
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28
Dont throw it away.
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29
Freeze it, and pull it out one day when you have a few leftovers in your refrigerator, such as a small amount of meaty sauce, stewed or braised meat with a little gravy, maybe a couple of meatballs, or perhaps some seafood, as well as a little tomato sauce (which I trust by now youll always have on hand).
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30
All you need is a small baking dish (3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter), which youll fill with your ribbon of lasagna and sauce in your own special way.
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31
So pop that strip of pasta into a pot of boiling water, fish it out after a minute, shock it in ice water, and drain.
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32
Following the illustrations, lay one end flat in the small, shallow, buttered baking dish.
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33
Spread a couple of tablespoons of whatever saucy, meaty leftover youre using, then fold and pull back the strip of dough over it to make a second layer; top that with a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce and a few thin slices of a melty cheese to cover, fold again and make another layer of meaty sauce, then finish with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano.
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34
What you have made is an accordion-pleated mound of pasta ribbon, each layer generously cushioned with meaty filling and sauce and cheese.
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Now just bake it at 375 for 25 minutes, and when it comes out bubbly and melded together, youll have yourself a rare treat.
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36
Of course, you can multiply these ingredients and make as many individual ribbon lasagnas as you have hungry mouths to feed.
