Pimiento, Prosciutto and Chevre Lasagne; Blog Action Day: the Environment

"What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day?   One issue. One day. Thousands of voices."

Joni Mitchell said it best all those years ago" Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees, please."

There was a time when I wanted my apples perfect; my lawn perfect; and worried about germs and bacteria.

Then we moved to Europe and I traded my 'hose, heels and briefcase' in for hoe's, rubber clogs and a wheelbarrow.  We started meeting people who were in tune with the food and the land.   (OMG - Back to hippie roots, again!)

I started seeing slugs in the lettuce and spots on the apples as good things - no pesticides used. 

I got a few sturdy shopping bags and I carry them with me to the supermarket (actually, they're mandatory there), the farmer's market, even the mall.

Recycling is not discussed; it's expected and made easy.

I learned what (to me) was the secret to odor-free compost piles: no meat or dairy.  Eggshells are fine.  As long as you are composting vegetable scraps you have no odor and relatively few (in our case, none) scavengers.  We keep a bowl on the counter and empty it at the end of the day. 

When we moved to Ireland I was warned that I would not find good dental care.  When we moved to Andorra, there would be no hospitals.  As to France, well, the French are, um, not as clean as, say, Americans. 

Maybe not, but they're healthier.  They may not wash their hair every day, and their clothes after each wearing, but they use less water.  And, yes, there is dog shit on the sidewalks - it's gone in a day or two...unlike putting it in a plastic bag in a landfill where it will stay, unchanged, for 500 years!  We don't have anti-bacteria everything; butchers have bloody aprons; and everyone carries their daily bread in their hands - unwrapped, no bag.

What's my point?  The Environment is your environment!  Accept that you live on earth, a 'dirty' planet, teeming with millions of life forms.  Remember that all of us (even the slugs and especially the bacteria) have something to contribute.  Take care of our planet and quit trying to change it into something sterile and perfect  - or you may succeed!

You don't have to do anything big - just be more conscious of how you live... and the next time the check-out person at the supermarket says "Paper or plastic?" hand'em your spiffy new shopping bags.... and do NOT be embarrassed about it....  You're COOL!

Whew, all that made me hungry - How about some pasta?

In Spain and Andorra stuffed pimientos are a popular starter. The roasted, red peppers are stuffed with a fish purée: tuna or salt cod; or cheese.  One night I had planned on making pimientos stuffed with goat cheese and I had a few lasagne noodles left: this idea was born.  It really was two heavy for a first course, so I expanded, added a bit of ham and some béchamel and here it is.

I'm sending this over to Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, for Presto Pasta Nights, which she founded over eight months ago and has been going strong ever since.  Great idea, Ruth!

Prosciutto, Pimiento and Chevre Lasagna

8 - 9 sheets 'no-cook' lasagna noodles
1 jar pimientos, roasted red peppers, 9oz, (280gr)
6 slices Prosciutto (5oz, 150gr)
5oz (150gr) goat cheese (chevre)
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes, 15 oz (450 gr)
1 can tomato sauce, 8oz (220 gr)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbs red wine
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 cup milk, 8 oz, (250ml)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (2 oz, 60 gr)

Finely chop onion and garlic.  Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender.  Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs and red wine.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer until needed.  In another medium saucepan heat the butter over low heat.  Add flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute.  Add a little (1/4 cup) of the milk and whisk to combine.  Turn heat up to medium and keep adding milk, a little at a time and whisking.  When all of the milk is in bring to a boil (should almost be there), whisking. Then remove from heat.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes then stir in half of the cheese (1/4 cup).  Cut Prosciutto into strips.  Drain peppers and cut in wide strips.  Slice the goat cheese thinly, 1/8" (.3cm).

Now you are ready to assemble: in an square, 9 X 9 (22 X 22cm) or oblong baking dish, 8 X 10, (20 X 25cm) or so...make the following layers:

1/2 tomato sauce
2 - 3 lasagne noodles
1/2 béchamel sauce
roasted peppers (pimientos)
2 - 3 lasagne noodles
1/2 béchamel sauce
goat cheese
ham
2 - 3 lasagne noodles
1/2 tomato sauce
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Cover and bake 400F (200C) for 20 minutes, or until noodles are done.  Test in center with a sharp knife.  Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer to brown cheese.  Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into squares (or oblongs) and serve.

Stop by  Once Upon a Feast, on Friday for all of the great pasta recipes.

Meanwhile, relax, and remember something you learned as a child: A little dirt never hurt anyone!

Comments

[Tanna]

Um that not only looks excellent but very doable! I really like the roasted red peppers!
I'm no longer embarrassed taking my own bags to the grocery.
Here's a silly little thing I do. I often am washing one thing and usually put a squeeze of dish soap on the sponge. Then I thought about how that's really made to be diluted in a sink of water. Now what I've been doing is diluting the bottle in another two with water. I use much less soap that way. Don't know about less water. But my dishwasher uses very little per load.

[Pam]

I agree with everything you have said! I am amazed at the amount of people who don't recycle. Sure it takes a little effort, but the rewards are worth it.

[Heidi]

Excellent post. I love your point about the world not being a sterile, pristine, neat place...and let's stop trying to make it look as such!

Love the look of your recipes, too, and am particularly taken with the menu for Friday, which I may try out...ehem...tomorrow.

Thanks!

Heidi

[Katie]

Tanna, that's a good idea - I'm always squirting on my hands to wash when I come in from the garden... My dishwasher is mon mari - and he's very conservative...

Pam, it's so automatic for us now - and the compost pile! They were just starting in Andorra when we left - but that's a whole 'nother world!

Thanks, Heidi, and I hope you like the menu...whenever...

[Peter]

Good show Katie! Are there seconds or do I have to eat off of your plate?

[Tanna]

Yes, I'm still thinking about this one. The world is not a sterile place and while we might like some little bugs to be gone (might like to think about eliminating the common cold) it maybe that some of the simpler ones protect us somehow from the nastier ones. Nothing we do is going to make this a risk free place.

[Maryann]

I've sung that Joni Mitchell song a million times and never knew those were the words. Yikes! Love your lasagna. Yes, we all should do our part and wake up. Thanks for the post.

[Shayne]

This looks really good. I too use béchamel sauce on my lasagna but i like the idea of the red peppers and goat cheese which are some of my favorite things.

Growing up we had goats and my mother would make goat cheese from time to time...I miss it.

I have been carrying my own shopping bags now for a few years and I love them I can put so much more in them and they will not rip..less trips from the car to the house

[Valli]

This dish sounds amazing as usual! Anything with chevre has to be tops in my books. On the other note...I'm 50 years old and have survived this long in a non sterile environment. I wash my hands a great deal and never seem to be ill. I never had a bike helmet as a child, I don't disinfect my counters with bacterial sprays... I could go on... Granted sometimes things do go wrong in this world, but there's no need to go overboard.

[gattina]

Katie, what a terrific post!!! I see many people here put their grocery in their canvas bag with wheels (I believe you've seen it), save tons of plastic bags! Just a few years ago in New Jersey, by the check-out I was still allowed to place my grocery in carton box (threw away by the store)... but very soon "probably" cashiers thought I was holding up the line, they kicked my butt and started stuffing me with plastic bags *sign*... wish I could write such a great post like you, and join this meaningful blog event. I just start my intensive Spanish lesson, really not much time left... except for enjoying your recipe of lasagna, I think I already have all ingredients!

[Joanna]

Great post ... I especially like the emphasis on bacteria ... we couldn't live without them, the advertising-led "war" on bacteria is pointless ... and your odour-free compost heap rather graphically proves it

Thanks for so much to think about
Joanna

[Amanda]

This is great and so true!

Love the look and sound of that lasagna.

[sher]

Well, that just cruel--showing that sinfully delicious looking picture, all melty and cheesey. Sigh. That's my weak spot, a delicious portion of lasagna.

[Casey]

A great post. I LOVE my canvas shopping bags and LOATHE the plastic horrors.
Also: we have a plethora of peppers in our garden right now. Using them in lasagna is an inspired idea.

[Deb]

You say it girl !!!! I agree totally with you!
That lasagna is absolutley mouthwatering! I can almost taste the tomatoes and peppers thru your photos! We need smell-a-blog on our computers! If we did, can you imagine what your room would smell like after surfing the blogs for a couple of hours!!!

[tigerfish]

Are all lasagna noodles no-cook? I saw some no-cook version in my grocery store recently.

[kate]

thats is one mean looking lasagna ! very very tempting.

[Katie]

Peter, I'm happy to share - you get the small fork!

Tanna, I think the U.S. with it's big anti-bacteria campaign and doctors giving penicillin at the drop of a pin are doing a lot of damage - creating superbacteria!

Maryann, thanks, and glad to be of service....

Shayne, 3 bags for the groceries each week - used to be around 15 plastic bags - of no use at all. Your mother made goat cheese - lucky you!

Valli, isn't it amazing how we managed to survive so long! I'm with you 100% - I don't even wash my food

Gattina, I remember those rolling bags - what a great idea! They're everywhere in Spain.

Joanna, yeah, on the one hand lets wipe out bacterian with soap - but on the other, here's some Danone with good bacteria in it...

Thanks, Amanda, (it is good...)

Sher, mine, too. Anything with melted cheese, actually...

Casey, once I got hooked on the no-cook noodles I kind of let the imagination run, thinking of more ways to used them.

Deb, I'm going to have smelly nightmares with that thought....

Tigerfish, no - you have to specifically look for no-cook in the dry noodle section. And you have to modify traditional recipes slightly to add a bit more liquid.

[Christine]

Oh Yum! Will you look at those lasagne photos?! I must make this, and soon.
Thank heavens I live in California, which should be dubbed the environmental state. Everything get recycled. If you don't take your canvas shopping bags to the market, eyebrows get raised. I love it.

[Kevin]

That looks really good., I like the idea of roasted red peppers and prosciutto in a lasagna.

[Lydia]

I've been taking my own bags to market for years. In fact, several years ago, we bought plain canvas tote bags and decorated them for all of our friends, and gave them as holiday presents. Each bag had a "checklist" of things we knew our friends buy: wine, cheese, diapers, etc. Those were the best gifts we ever gave.

[neil]

I've always had trouble with those no-cook lasagne sheets, they don't seem to get properly al dente for me, sigh. I've heard that even though a lot of use recycle bins, that it's not worth the effort for companies to actually recycle a lot of what we put in the bin and some of it goes to landfill. I guess we have to cut down on all packaging whenever we can.

[Katie]

Christine, I took one of my shopping bags back to the U.S. to use in Minnesota - they looked at me like I was the last hippie on the planet - except at the co-op and Trader Joe's - there I got a discount (co-op) and a thanks.

Thanks, Kevin, I think you'll like the result, too ;-)

Neil, I tried one brand I didn't like, I use Barilla now, and like them. I've heard the same - they pick up all the carefully segregated stuff and dump it together. Maybe there need to be more incentives...

Lydia, what a great idea! I bet they loved them..

I am currently eating this lasagne. It's WONDERFUL! My nearly-3-year-old is eating it and loving it, as are my 8 and 11-year-olds.

Is this the same recipe as last fall, Katie? I remember something similar that we loved, too!

[tracebooks]

I don't know why it didn't put my name on my above post.

I have another thing to say: we are going on a little weekend trip tomorrow for fall color. It's a mecca in our part of the Midwest; an artist colony in the hills, with plenty of restaurants.

And I know that, unless our family of 5 spends a bundle of money, we will not eat as well there as we eat at home, using Katie's menu mailer service.

Seriously. We're talking traveling with three kids, ages 3-11, all of whom have somewhat gourmet tastes (currently chowing down on pimiento lasagne). We're not going to be taking them to $100 a plate restaurants, even if there were any there, which there aren't.

Even so, even if we were to eat at the most expensive places there, we would have a hard time eating as well as we do at home, using Katie's menus.

Matter of fact, even though we live in a large city with some pretty good restaurants, most of the time we prefer to eat at home. I mean, I could get something similar to what I'm eating right now for maybe $25 or $30, if I went to the right place. Instead, I made the whole menu for all of us for maybe $15, if that!

Just had to say that. Not only are the menus saving me money just because of planned leftovers and seasonal cooking, we foodies don't go out to eat nearly as much. Well worth the $7.50 a month!

Shameless plug mode ,
Trace