Christmas Dinner

Well, Christmas is almost here.  So, in order to enjoy the day, I decided to do the prep work today during football.  I'm making a savory ham (Alan doesn't like sweet ham) and a veggie lasagna which will give us all of the food groups!  I'm also having dinner rolls, making an apple crumb pie and cookies.  For me, my dessert will be figs and walnuts.

So, the apple pie and ham will be done on Tuesday, but the rest was done today. 

Ham

smoked ham
roasted garlic paste
rosemary

Crisscross cuts into the top of the ham, not too deep, just deep enough for the paste.   Mix in rosemary leaves (as much or as little as you want) to the paste.  Slather the paste over the ham.  Let it sit for a bit to room temperature, then bake it until it's completely warmed through or cooked.  It doesn't need salt because ham is salty enough.


Veggie Lasagna
2 to 3 bags shredded mozzarella
Container of pecorino romano cheese
Ingredients below


Prep work - a couple of days ahead:

Veggies

3 bell peppers (red and green) (sliced about 1/2 wide)
small head broccoli (sliced about 1/4 wide)
3 large carrots (sliced about 4 inches long x 1/2 wide)
3 medium onions (one diced, 2 sliced thin)
1/4 head celery, sliced thin and with the leaves
one bunch asparagus sliced 1in pieces
olive oil
salt
pepper

In batches, using a cast iron pan, heat the pan, put in some olive oil, when hot, add the diced celery and onion, some salt and pepper, saute until 1/2 done, add the carrots, saute until soft.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add a little oil, fry the peppers and sliced onions until soft, transfer to the bowl.  Add a little oil, fry the broccoli and asparagus until 1/2 done, add the tomatoes, saute until soft, transfer to the bowl.  Mix the veggies together well, set aside to cool.  Cover and refrigerate

Bechemel Sauce

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
7 and 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom sauce pan, add the flour, using a whisk, mix them together.  When the mixture starts to bubble, add the milk, whisk frequently so the mixture doesn't stick, add a little salt and pepper to taste.  When thickened, turn off heat, let it cool still whisking so there is no film on top, transfer to bowl or container.  Cover and refrigerate.

Ricotta

4 lbs ricotta (2 x 32oz containers)
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basic
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients together, mix well.  If the mixture needs a little salt, add it or add a little more cheese.  Cover and refrigerate.

Day of cooking:

When you are ready to make the lasagna, take out all of the ingredients and get them to room temperature.  If the bechemel is too thick to work with, just warm it up a bit.  Follow the directions on the lasagna noodles, either no cook or cook for a minute or two.

Place some sauce on the bottom of a deep lasagna pan.  Layer the noodles, spread some ricotta on the bottom, not too thick, but don't skimp.  Add a layer of mozzarella cheese, sprinkle some pecorino romano on top and add another layer of noodles.  Cover this layer with more bechemel sauce then add a layer of veggies, do not skimp.  Add another layer of mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with pecorino romano and add a layer of noodles.  Cover with bechemel sauce. 

Now, depending on how deep your pan is, you can repeat the steps above, after the veggie layer, do a ricotta layer, then veggie layer.  Just remember, after you add the noodles, be liberal with the sauce.  You want this recipe oozing with cheese and sauce, not dry.  After you are done your layers, top with sauce, mozzarella cheese and pecorino romano.

Bake in a 375 oven until browning on top AND it's bubbly all over (sides and middle).  Remove from oven, let it set for a few minutes (a layer of tin foil will keep in warm) and it will set firmly.  Cut squares to as large or as small as you want.


Enjoy!!!!!

On a side note, I made my own lasagna noodles this time.  I think I made more ingredients than I need for a 3 level lasagna, but may not have enough noodles.  So, I use the no-cook ones and sauce it up!