- ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 large carrot, scraped and finely chopped
- 1 large stalk celery, including leaves, finely chopped
- ½ pound lean, sweet, fennel-flavored Italian pork sausages (about 3 links)
- 1 pound lean ground beef or pork
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup good dry red wine
- 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes in purée, drained and coarsely chopped, purée reserved
- 1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- Freshly milled black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons salt, for cooking pasta
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound dried lasagne or narrower lasagnette noodles
- 1½ pounds (3 cups) ricotta cheese
- good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1½ cups freshly grated parmigiano
- ½ pound thinly sliced Italian salame, such as soppressata, diced
- 1½ pounds good-quality mozzarella, cut into very thin slices, or shredded
- For the Sauce:
- Soak dried mushrooms in ¼ cup warm water until softened, about 30 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine sieve; reserve. Chop mushrooms coarsely. Set aside. Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy saucepan. Add onion, garlic, parsley, carrot, and celery; sauté over medium heat until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes; do not let them brown. Remove sausage meat from casings. Add it and ground meat to pan; sauté until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon and mixing it with vegetables. Sauté gently another 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved mushrooms and their liquor, tomato paste, and wine; simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their reserved purée; simmer gently, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the Pasta:
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°. Bring 5 to 6 quarts water to a rolling boil and add the 2 tablespoons salt, vegetable oil, and noodles. Stir immediately, continuing to stir frequently as noodles cook. Drain when slightly underdone (they will continue to cook in the oven), reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking water. Immediately rinse lasagne well in cold water to prevent noodles from sticking together.
- For the Cheese:
- Combine ricotta with reserved pasta water, nutmeg, and ½ cup of the parmigiano.
- For Assembly:
- Smear the bottom of a 10- by 14-inch baking pan with a little of the meat sauce. Then place a single solid layer of noodles on top, without overlapping. Spread a layer of ricotta mixture on noodles, followed by a layer of sauce. Sprinkle with some of the salame, add a layer of mozzarella, then sprinkle with several teaspoons of the remaining parmigiano. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of meat sauce strewn with mozzarella and parmigiano. Be sure to cover pasta with sauce to prevent it from drying out in the oven. Slide pan onto rack in upper half of preheated oven. Bake until lasagne is heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let settle for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve as a main course.