Lasagna Matta House of Savoy
Who dares to use pappardelle noodles in lasagna? House of Savoy executive chef Paola Bugli. To prepare her lasagna matta, fondly referred to as “crazy lasagna” – both by Bugli and on her menu in a nod to the loose translation of “matta” – she tosses the wide fettuccine egg noodles with an earthy Bolognese sauce made from veal, beef and pork that’s been braised to perfection with veggies and herbs. Next goes a splash of heavy cream to mellow the flavor. She then forms the noodles into “a nice nest,” and tops it with a béchamel and Parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and broils the whole thing to make a nice, crisp crust. Deconstructing the classic dish in this manner retains the depth of flavors while enabling à la minute execution, explained Bugli, an Italian native. “You still have layers because of the nest, but it’s fresher.” 999 N. 2nd St., St. Louis, 314.881.7777.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2010.