Christian Petroni’s Lasagna and Broccoli Rabe

LASAGNA “CALABRESE INFLUENCE”
8 servings


2 pounds dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1½ quarts 8-Hour Marinara Sauce
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 cups soppressata, cut into 1-inch batonnets
5 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
3 cups grated Parmesan
2 cups sharp pecorino (preferably Locatelli)
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried Sicilian oregano




SPICY BROCCOLI RABE
4 servings


2 heads broccoli rabe
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons Calabrian chile paste
1 lemon

Instructions for Lasagna

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions until al dente.
Drain and spread on a lightly oiled baking sheet. (To prevent sticking, you can drizzle a bit of olive oil over them and spread it gently.)
To assemble the lasagna layers: Spread a thin layer of the marinara on the bottom of a 16-by-10-inch casserole dish.
Place 3 or 4 noodles down, slightly overlapping and bringing the noodles up the sides of the dish. Add another thin layer of sauce.
Dollop on a fifth of the ricotta, then add a fifth of the soppressata. Spread a fifth of the eggs evenly over the top. Layer on a fifth of the mozzarella, Parmesan, and pecorino.
Tear some basil and sprinkle it over the top, then drizzle with olive oil.



Instructions for Broccoli Rabe

Trim the bottom of your broccoli rabe and then cut it in half.
Boil a pot of salted water and have an ice bath (half ice, half cold water) standing by.
Blanch the broccoli rabe for roughly 2 minutes. You will notice the green rapini turning a brighter shade of green.
Remove and submerge into your ice bath to keep its vibrancy and stop the cooking.
In a large sauté pan on medium-high heat, add a healthy amount of olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add your garlic and cook until the edges start to toast, which will only be a minute.
Add your chilled broccoli rabe (careful, it might spatter), white wine, and chile paste.
Mix and cook until most of the wine is cooked out. Kill the heat, then squeeze your lemon in and finish with a few glugs of good olive oil.
This is good on its own, or I like to top it with my Brown Butter Breadcrumbs that I grate fresh horseradish into.