Recipe of the Month: Vincisgrassi, Marche, Italy

Vincisgrassi, typical Marche recipe, Central Italy, great with natural wine - primalwine.com

INGREDIENTS (4 people)

  • 1 lb lasagna sheets
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb chicken livers, cleaned and chopped
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato passata
  • 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup béchamel sauce
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Béchamel Sauce:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Salt and nutmeg to taste


DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until they are soft and translucent.
  • Add the ground beef and chicken livers to the pan, and cook until browned. Pour in the white wine, and let it reduce by half.
  • Add the tomato passata and broth to the pan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Let the sauce cook over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
  • Add the flour, and whisk to combine. Cook the mixture for a minute or two, stirring constantly.
  • Gradually whisk in the milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
  • Season the béchamel sauce with salt and nutmeg to taste.
  • Cook the lasagna sheets in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • To assemble the dish, spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna sheets.
  • Spoon a layer of meat sauce on top of the lasagna sheets, followed by a layer of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  • Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of béchamel sauce and Parmesan cheese/
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
  • Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving.

Natural Winemakers

Maria and Sepp Muster, natural wine producers from Leutschach in Southern Styria, Austria, standing with the next generation of the family
Maria and Sepp Muster farm ten hectares of Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards above Leutschach in Southern Styria, crafting textural, mineral whites from the region's distinctive Opok marl soil.
Possa, natural wine producer in Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy
Heydi Bonanini practices heroic viticulture on terraced cliffs above Riomaggiore, producing Cinque Terre whites and the legendary Sciacchetra from rescued indigenous varieties.
Weingut Niklas, natural wine producer, in his vineyard in Alto Adige, Italy
Weingut Niklas is a family-run Alto Adige estate in Kaltern where Dieter Solva farms 7 hectares of calcareous mountain soils to produce precise, aromatic whites and structured Lagrein reds that have carried the family name for over 50 years.

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