Marche-Style Lasagna Recipe (Vincisgrassi)
Vincisgrassi is a rich and luxurious lasagna dish that hails from the Marche region of Italy. This dish is distinct from the more commonly known Bolognese lasagna due to its unique filling which includes chicken offal, truffles, and mushrooms. The dish is believed to have been named in honor of an Austrian general, Windisch-Graetz, who was stationed in the Marche region during the 18th century. The layers of pasta are interspersed with a savory filling and topped with béchamel sauce, making it a hearty and indulgent treat.
- Preparation Time: 1 hour
- Cooking Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 889
Ingredients:
- 350 g of flour
- 200 g of semolina
- 30 g of butter
- 3 tablespoons of Vin Santo or Marsala
- 3 eggs
- Salt
- 200 g of chicken giblets
- 100 g of sweetbreads (animelle)
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 black truffle
- 30 g of dried mushrooms
- 1/2 glass of dry Marsala
- 80 g of grated cheese
- 50 g of butter
- 1/2 onion
- Broth
- Béchamel sauce
- Oil
- Pepper
Suggested Replacements:
- Vin Santo or Marsala: You can use any sweet wine or sherry.
- Sweetbreads: These can be challenging to find in some places. You can omit them or use chicken livers as a substitute.
- Black truffle: Truffle oil or truffle salt can be used for flavor, though the authentic texture will be missing.
Preparation Instructions:
- Soften the mushrooms in a bowl of warm water. Blanch the sweetbreads, cool them, dice them, and sauté in a pan with some butter for a few minutes. Prepare the sauce by heating butter and oil in a pot, sautéing chopped onion until transparent, then adding the mushrooms, truffle, chicken breast, and giblets. Add Marsala and let it evaporate. Add enough warm water to cover the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cook covered for 30 minutes. Add the sweetbreads, mix, and set aside.
- Prepare the pasta by mixing flour, semolina, eggs, melted butter, salt, and Vin Santo. Roll out the dough and cut into strips. Boil the strips in salted water, drain them halfway through cooking, plunge them into cold water, and lay them on a damp cloth. Assemble the dish by layering the pasta strips with the sauce, grated cheese, and bechamel in a buttered dish. Bake in a water bath in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or at 170°C for 15-20 minutes. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.