Alabama Lasagna

It's spring break for those of us fortunate enough to work in the University system. But if you also happen to be married to a state employee, your horizons for this yearly retreat are somewhat diminished. Seems the only state employees that get the week off are the lawmakers, resting up for their next filibuster. They work so hard! Suffice it to say that I'm here in Tuscaloosa for the week with a litany of home improvement projects to tackle and a few food related endeavors as well. First on the list - lasagna.

I've made plenty of pasta at this point in our year of Alabama eating, but I've yet to try this staple of Italian American cuisine. I toyed with the idea of making a very classic Italian Bolognese style dish with a béchamel sauce, but opted instead for a more American interpretation. Our fresh leeks and carrots from Snow's Bend would make a wonderful sauce with some of our canned tomatoes and some fresh rosemary, and while I lack in the mozzarella department, I felt certain that the bite of goat cheese would be welcome with the pasta and tomatoes. I know that mozeralla - lightly browned on top and gooey with every slice - is a signature of most American lasagna, but our diet often calls for improvisation. Fortunately I did have the raw ingredients for ricotta (or paneer, depending on your perspective). So I began with my first ever batch of ricotta, and I must say that it was simple and delicious. Thrown together with the goat cheese and my tomato sauce, the sauce stacked in layers between the al dente fresh lasagna, topped with goat cheese and baked for 20 minutes...perfection. We ate this dish in homage of our trip this time last year to visit a friend in Tuscany. I might not be able to recreate the oso buco that our friend MC wept over (literally wept it was so good), but I can make a damn fine lasagna anytime. Just give me a few hours warning...