Vincisgrassi in Timbalo

Also called Pasticcio di lasagne con fegatini, animelle e besciamella cotto al forno. This is a speciality of the Marche region. It is a very rich dish which takes a long time to prepare.

Pasta - on the kitchen table put 250 grams flour, semolina, a nut of butter, marsala, egg

Mix well, roll out into two fine leaves

Divide the leaves into rectangular pieces about 10x15 cms

Cook one at a time in a saucepan large enough to hold a lot of salted water

Put into a saucepan 50 grams of butter with the finely sliced onion

Cook the onion very slowly and then add the dried mushrooms which have been previously soaked in cold water

Add a little broth, possibly chicken, and let the mushrooms cook

Add the tomato paste

Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of powdered cinnamon

Add more broth or water and let the tomato cook

Take 25 grams of butter, a spoon of flour and half glass of milk and make a rather dense béchamel

When the tomato is cooked in the saucepan, add the béchamel and with more broth, dilute the sauce to bring it to the right density

Fry in butter the chicken livers, boil the sweetbreads and the schienali and divide them into pieces of about 5 centimetres in length

Butter a roasting pan which will accommodate the lasagna pieces comfortably and layer with grated parmesan, some pieces of chicken liver, sweetbreads, slices of truffle and pieces of butter. Continue layering in this manner until all the lasagna is used

Leave for at least 6 hours or from the evening till the morning

After this long rest, prepare another béchamel which is not too dense with 50 grams of butter, a spoon and a half of flour and a quarter of milk. If it becomes too thick add a bit more milk

Pour over the lasagna, spreading finely with the edge of a knife then put the dish in a hot oven until it takes on a light golden colour - about 30 minutes

Put into a small saucepan 25 grams of butter to melt

When the lasagna comes out of the oven, put butter over any part where the sauce has not adhered well and take to the table immediately.

The vincigrassi must be eaten very hot