Rustic lasagna. I need a few more bracelets, please

Last Saturday morning I went to a Christmas bazaar looking for gifts to buy for my friends and family. I found a store selling little bracelets inside of a cute package saying "make a wish". If you believe in this kind of things, what you have to do is to wear the bracelet and make a wish. When you wish is made, the bracelet falls down, apparently. By the way, you cannot change your mind about the wish you made. 

My friends loved the gift, although I am not sure if some of them just liked the design of the jewellery. Whatever you think, it makes people happy if you buy it for them. I bought one for myself and made a wish. The bracelet is still on my wrist and maybe forever!

I had not very good news from Spain about my mum's health last night, after an intense day dealing with a husband who came home at 3am and was uncooperative, a sick baby Juanan (an eye infection) and a tired Gabriel. I had just 4 hours of sleep thanks to Aurelia who wanted to stay in my bed because Dad was out and she felt unwell. 

It was 4pm when I went for a walk to meet my lovely friend Francesca, who was going to come for lunch with her family to celebrate Christmas together. As I mentioned above, the atmosphere at home wasn't great so I postponed the lunch. 

At that time of the day there is a breeze going through. Good for baby Juanan and for me. My brother called me when I just got to the park. He seemed very persistence to talk to me. The last thing could possibly cross my mind was my mum's health. She had a surgery recently and it went fine.

When I connected to my brother through the skipe and gently told me the news, I couldn't content my tears. It was shocking. I was paralysed.  I will keep my privacy with this issue though. 

If I could delete this day from the calendar of 2013, I would. How hard is to assimilate some obstacles in life, especially when you are so far away from your family. I just wish I had made a different wish when I bought the bracelet. Perhaps I should go back to the store and get a few more bracelets but I prefer to pray instead, to be honest.

Again, this year hasn't finished yet but I can tell you right now, I am over it. The number 13 is bad luck for some superstitious people. And once again, just after the massacre of typhoon Yolanda, and now the concern about my mum, I needed more comfort food.

I had some of the bolognese sauce in little bags that I made last week. So a quick lasagna would satisfied me because making a complete dish from scratch is very rewarding, at least for me. You may think it is complicated to make pasta, but it isn't it. At least, have a go. You will definitely do it again.

Pieces of pasta dough

1. In a food processor, add 200g white flour, type '00', and 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt. With the motor running, add 2 eggs, one by one and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. I use the speed 7, for about 3 minutes or until the dough forms like a ball.
2. Once the dough has come together, place it on the table and knead for about 8 minutes, using both hands.
3. Wrap the dough-ball with plastic and leave it to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Cut the dough in 4 pieces, working with one piece at the time and keeping covered the rest.

Each piece goes through the pasta machine

1. Simply flatten the piece with your fingers so that it can fit through the rollers of the pasta machine.
2. Flour the pasta lightly on both sides with semolina and start to roll it through the machine from the widest setting to the second thinnest (number 7 or 8), so it thick enough to hold the meat and sauce when is cooked. Make sure you keep the pasta dusted with semolina or flour at all times.
3. Repeat with the rest of the pasta dough pieces.
4. Pre-heat the oven 180C

Boiling water

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to boil and add each sheet of pasta. Cook for 5 minutes. 

And then cold

1. Immediately, take the sheet out of the boiling water and place it into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Drain the sheet on a kitchen towel, making sure is dried well.

Into the dish

1. Make a bechamel: melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add 3 tbsp of flour. Stir for 5 minutes. Add hot milk and keep stirring until the sauce becomes thick. Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper. I add a personal touch: 3 tablespoons of cream cheese.
2. Start the lasagna with a layer of bolognese sauce (look at my post in the blog), then pour some of the white sauce or bechamel, and finally one pasta sheet. Repeat the process until you end with a sheet of pasta on the last top. Sprinkle generously grated parmesan....and

In the oven!

Buen provecho!
PS: I had a lovely dinner with Nick and the kids. Aure had seconds and Nick thirds. We also had a nice glass of Australian pinot noir. It was such a comfort. Sharing good food brings you happy moments to your life again.