Cod preserved in lard with tomato sauce

PARA MASSA

Components

• 3 tea cups of wheat flour (approximately 400 g)
• Four eggs
• 3 tablespoons of sodium chloride
• flour the countertop with wheat flour

Setup phase

1. In a spacious bowl, combine the wheat flour and salt, creating a well in the middle. Crack each egg separately into a smaller bowl before adding them to the center of the flour mixture—this way, if an egg is bad, the entire recipe isn’t ruined. Use a fork to beat the yolks and blend them with the whites. Slowly incorporate the eggs into the flour by stirring in circular motions from the center outward toward the bowl’s edge.

1. Knead the dough by hand until it forms a ball. Move it to the countertop and continue kneading for about 15 minutes until it becomes smooth and soft. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the lasagna sauce and filling.

For sauce and filling

Components

• 500 g of dried cod, shredded and frozen
• Three cans of tomato nut
• One onion
• Three garlic cloves
• 1⁄2 cup (120 g) of pitted black olives
• 3 tablespoons of capers (35 g)
• A small pinch of dried calabresa chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 sprigs of fresh basil, to taste
• season with salt as desired
• grated parmesan cheese as desired

Ready state

1. Bring a medium-sized pan of water to a boil. Add the cod and cook for 15 minutes, allowing it to thaw and cook simultaneously.

1. In the meantime, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Slice the olives into quarters and remove any pits.
2. After cooking, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and drain the cod using a colander.
3. Place the pan back over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook for around 3 minutes until it begins to brown. Then, add the garlic and Calabrian pepper, stirring for an additional minute.
4. Add the peeled tomatoes along with their juice and stir thoroughly. Season with salt and simmer on low heat for approximately 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Set aside 2 cups (tea) of the tomato sauce in a bowl, as it will be needed for the first and last layers of the lasagna.
5. Place the cooked cod, reserved cooking water, capers, olives, and basil into the saucepan. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

ENSAMBLAJE

1. Set the oven to 200°C (moderate heat) and allow it to warm up.
2. Place a large pan with approximately 5 liters of water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Prepare a heat-resistant (or baking) dish measuring 30 cm by 20 cm for assembling the lasagna. Grease a large baking tray with olive oil.
3. Dust the countertop with flour. Sketch and use a spatula (or knife) to divide the dough into three sections, which will serve as the lasagna layers. Roll out one portion of dough into a rectangular shape using a rolling pin, making it thin—around 2 mm thick—the rectangle should be slightly larger than the baking dish. Sprinkle wheat flour throughout to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.
4. Lightly dust the dough with additional flour and, using the refractory as a guide, cut a rectangle of dough that is 2 cm smaller than it, since the dough will expand during baking. Do the same with the other two portions. Any leftover dough can be used to make noodles.
5. Once the water reaches a boil, add 2 tablespoons of salt and immerse one dough rectangle at a time to prevent sticking. Cook for approximately 6 minutes—the dough should remain slightly raw in the middle, as it will finish cooking in the oven with sauce. Use a skimmer to remove the dough and let the water drain thoroughly. Place it in a baking dish greased with olive oil and water mixed with additional oil to avoid sticking. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces.
6. To prepare the lasagna, spread approximately 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Place a sheet of pasta on top, then add a layer of the cod sauce. Keep alternating layers of pasta, tomato sauce, and cod. Finish by covering the final pasta layer with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese over it.
7. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately afterward.