Serves 8
2 batches of fresh pasta rolled to 1⁄16 of an inch, cooked in boiling water, refreshed in ice water, and dressed in extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking
5 ounces butter
1⁄2 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 1⁄2 cups flour for roux
1⁄2 gallon cold milk
1 dried bay leaf
Old Bay seasoning to taste
2 pounds backfin or jumbo lump crab meat
2 tablespoons tomato paste
In a large stainless saucepot, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onion, and sweat until aroma is released. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the flour slowly to form a roux. I use a simple guideline when making roux—when there is no shine left to the roux mixture, stop adding flour. Over a low heat, add milk in small batches to the roux. After each addition of milk, whisk the roux and milk together until smooth. If the heat is too high, there’s a chance of forming lumps, and if you add the milk too fast, it will be harder to work out the lumps. Add dried bay leaf. Season with Old Bay to taste. Set the roux on a low heat to cook out the flour taste for at least half-hour. Stir often to avoid the sauce from scorching on the bottom of the pan. The sauce should be quite thick.
Next, pick over the crab to re-move any shells. In a bowl, reserve a quarter of the sauce and add the tomato paste. Whisk until smooth. Add the picked crab to the rest of the sauce, and mix together gently.
Rub a baking dish with butter or olive oil and lay down one layer of pasta, cutting to fit inside the dish. Spread a layer of the sauce and crab mixture over the pasta, and repeat this process until you have used up your ingredients. Cover the top layer of pasta with the tomato paste and sauce, and cover with tin foil. Place the lasagna in a preheated oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the tin foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
