MTChallenge: Licorice Lasagna with Chicken Liver and Leeks / MTChallenge: Lasagna alla liquirizia, fegatini di pollo e porri

Another month and yet another MTChallenge. A tough one. Yes, because this month Sabrina, from Les Madeleines Proust blog, challenged us with a traditional Italian recipe. One of those one might think would be fairly easy to make, after all what’s so difficult about rolling some dough? I bet you already guessed what I am talking about: Lasagna! And we’re talking about the real deal. The sheet of pasta, as instructed by Sabrina, had to be rolled by hand. Yeah, rrrright! May it be my proverbial insecurity, my total inexperience, my well known impatience, or the fact that after 30′ resting the dough was slightly sticky but my lasagna certainly will make history. For its thickness.

MTC Challenge February: Savoury strudel with Butternut squash, creamed Cassava, Bacon and Walnuts with Roquefort cheese Béchamel / MTC Challenge Febbraio: Strudel salato alla zucca butternut, crema di manioca, pancetta e noci con besciamella al Roquefort

MTC Challenge this month is being held at the home of Mari, aka Lasagna Pazza, who has challenged us with strudel. Now I will bother you once more by saying how much I love these challenges, every month living the anxiety and joy of a new culinary discoveries (a proper strudel made with homemade dough, not a plastic store bought version), breaking my head against the wall thinking about flavour pairing and seeking the right ingredients. Improving my skills. And I can not but be grateful.

Buckwheat Lasagna with Scampi and Leeks / Lasagna al grano saraceno con scampi e porri

There are some culinary first times you cannot forget. The first look, the first taste, the first time that you venture into cooking a new recipe. I do not remember the first time I tasted a lasagna but certainly I’ll never forget the first time I made one. I was about 17-18 years old and madly in love with my first boyfriend, Christian, despite on and off and the usual teenage love drama.