Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna

History of Pasta

Nothing says Italy like its food, and nothing says Italian food like pasta. Wherever Italians have immigrated they have brought their pasta and so today it is basically an international staple.  We were taught that the Venetian merchant Marco Polo brought back pasta from his journeys in China. Another version states that Polo discovery was actually a rediscovery of a food that was once popular in Italy during the Etruscan and Roman times. There is some evidence of an Etrusco-Roman noodle made from the same durum wheat as modern pasta called "lagane" (origin of the modern word for lasagna). However this food, first mentioned in the 1st century AD was not boiled like pasta, it was cooked in an oven. Therefore ancient lagane had some similarities, but cannot be considered pasta. The next culinary leap in the history of pasta would take place a few centuries later.
 Like so much of southern Italian life, the Arab invasion in the 8th century heavily influenced the regional cuisine and is the most accepted theory for the introduction of pasta. The dried noodle-like product they introduced to Sicily is most likely the origins of dried pasta and was being produced in great quantities in Palermo at this time. The modern word "macaroni" derives from the Sicilian term for making dough forcefully, as early pasta making was often a laborious daylong process. How it was served is not truly known but many Sicilian pasta recipes still include other Arab gastronomic introductions such as raisins and spices like cinnamon. This early pasta was an ideal staple for Sicily and it easily spread to the mainland since durum wheat thrives in Italy's climate. Italy is still a major producer of this hard wheat, used to make the all-important semolina flour.
By the 1300's dried pasta was very popular for its nutrition and long shelf life, making it ideal for long ship voyages. Pasta made it around the globe during the voyages of discovery a century later. By that time different shapes of pasta have appeared and new technology made pasta easier to make. With these innovations pasta truly became a part of Italian life. However the next big advancement in the history of pasta would not come until the 19th century when pasta met tomatoes.

Ingredients

Lasagna Sheets (home made or store) – Pre cook

8 Skin on –Bone in Chicken Breast – roasted and diced

2-3 pound fresh Spinach- steamed and drained of all liquid

4- 6 Tablespoon Flour

1 pound Mushroom- Slice

1 Red Bell Pepper - Slice

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese

3 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Punch Nutmeg

5 Cups Whole Milk- you can use 2% Milk- not Skim Milk

4- 6 Tablespoon Butter - unsalted

1-1/2 Cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper

¼ Teaspoon Dried Oregano

Preparation:

Basic White Sauce / Béchamel Sauce

1.               In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over low heat.

2.               Blend 4 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.

3.               Add 1/4 teaspoons of salt and pepper.

4.               Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.

5.               Slowly add 4 cup of milk, stirring constantly.  With wooden spoon.

6.               Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.

              

Basic Pasta- serving 6- 8

Ingredients

• 2 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour or Italian Flour
• 1/4 cup water
• In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, make a well then add the slightly beaten egg, and from in side to out of the well mix. Mixture should form stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.
• Wrap in plastic let stand for 5 minutes, use a pasta machine to make your desire pasta.
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  Lasagna: First you will need to oil baking dish 10 x 13; Pre cook lasagna noodles in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes now more, remove from water brush with olive oil and set aside.  Salt, pepper, oregano and bake chicken breast until done, let cool and dice set aside. Clean, slice mushroom and thinly slice red bell pepper set aside. Drain spinach and set aside.  Place at the bottom of the baking dish the white sauce; add lasagna, pepper, chicken, mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, and parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat last should be all cheese- bake for 30 -45 minutes;   Pre heated oven to 350 
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