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Eric's Lasagna

Written by: Georgina Ingham | Posted: 04-03-2008

Despite owning The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller for nearly a year now, yesterday shamefully was the first time I’d actually cooked from it. I have often referred to the book for ideas and inspiration when I wanted to try something new. The photography, the writing, and the restaurants legacy have all spurred me on with new flavour and recipe ideas.

Eric’s lasagna is the one served to The French Laundry staff prior to service. It is a surprisingly ultra-light pasta dish, not at all like the typical rich, gut achingly heavy lasagna that springs to mind when the word is mentioned. I suppose this is a great thing if you’re about to be dashing around a hot kitchen or racing around waiting on tables.

Although the lasagna takes a fair bit of preparation it is great for a midweek meal, providing your ingredients are top-notch. The flavour combinations are so simple, they rely on the best products being used; if poorer quality goods were to be used I am 100% sure this magnificent dish would be ruined. The tomato sauce could be made a day or two before if that is more convenient and then dinner could be on the table in less than sixty minutes, great stuff after a busy day.

I served dinner with a rocket side salad and crusty bread, perfect for mopping up all those lovely sauces. I declined to make the recommended salad dressing though, preferring to go for the cleaner, fresher flavours of a young and fruity olive oil.

I’ll definitely be cooking from this book more, now that I’ve metaphorically dipped my fingers into it. For more information about the book and it’s recipes, this blog is excellent.