The Barony of Vinhold

Original Recipe:

To make lasagna take fermented dough and make it into as thin a shape as possible. Then divide it into squares of three fingerbreadths per side. Then take sated boiling water and cook those lasagna in it. And when they are fully cooked, add grated cheese. And if you like, you can also add good powdered spices and powder them on them, when they are on the trencher. Then put on a layer of lasagna and powder (spices) again; and on top another layer and powder, and continue until the trencher or bowl is full. Then eat them by taking them up with a pointed wooden stick.

Redaction (Serves 15 (½ cup)):

For the dough:

3 cups flour
1 cup tepid water (100-110 degrees F)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp active dried yeast (8 g) or ¾ ounce fresh baker’s yeast (20 g)
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
For the Spice Mixture:
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

Mix spices together and set aside. Dissolve the yeast in a little of the water. Leave to proof for 10 minutes, then mix into the flour. Dissolve the salt in the remaining water and add to the flour mixture to form a dough that is not too stiff. Knead for about 10 minutes as you would a pizza or bread dough. The dough should be smooth and elastic: it should revel many tiny holes when you cut it with a knife.
Cover the dough with a towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Punch back the dough, knead it back into a ball, and roll it out to an even thickness of about 1/16 inch. This dough has a tendency to stick, so flour your work surface well. Unless you have a great deal of space, you will probably have to divide the dough into 2 or more pieces for rolling and cutting. Cut the sheets of dough into 2-inch diamonds.

Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil; add a few drops of oil. Preheat serving dishes. Cook lasagna in rapidly boiling water: stir as you add them to keep them from sticking. They are done when they rise to the surface of the water, this will take a mere 2 to 3 minutes. Taste one to make it sure it is cooked; it should not taste of flour and should be elastic but not too soft.

Remove the lasagna with a skimmer or slotted spoon; do not drain them completely dry. Place a layer of lasagna in the preheated dish; sprinkle it generously with grated parmesan, a good pinch of spices and 2 or 3 grinds of black pepper. Repeat until you run out of lasagna. Finally, top with plenty of parmesan and sprinkle with spices and pepper.

Serve immediately.