Layer up to make this Sichuan-Italian baked pasta dish. It's fun and great for a crowd. Beef tastes great but you can opt for pork or turkey. See the end of the main post for a vegetarian option.
Servings: 8to 10 people
Ingredients
2 ½generous teaspoons Sichuan peppercorn
3tablespoonscanola oil
12 to 16ouncesground beef, fattier kind preferred, roughly chopped to loosen
2teaspoonminced fresh ginger
1teaspoondried chile flakesoptional
1 ½tablespoonsfermented black beansoptional
¼ to ⅓cupchile bean sauce, such as Pixian kind (for fire) or Lee Kum Kee Doban Djan (milder taste)
½cupchopped yellow or red onion
2teaspoonssugar
1 ½teaspoonsregular soy sauce
2 ½cupswater
2tablespoonscornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
2poundsmedium-firm tofu, such as Trader Joe’s brand of “regular” tofu
2large eggs
1cupchopped green onions, green and white parts
3cups (12 oz)shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
Instructions
In a 5 or 6-quart pot over medium heat, toast the Sichuan peppercorns until very fragrant; a little smoke may appear. Cool, then ground or pound to a coarse texture. Set aside.
Reheat the pot over high heat. When hot, swirl in the oil. Add the ground meat and mash and stir until crumbly and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, chile flakes, fermented black beans, and chile sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the beef is a rich reddish-brown color and the oil has a red hue. Add the onion, sugar, soy sauce, and water. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, to develop flavor. Feel free to lower or turn off the heat to taste and test the flavor. It will concentrate further as it sits and cools but you want it strong to carry the mapo flavor to the tofu and noodles.
Give the cornstarch one last stir, then pour into the pan. Cook for about 15 seconds to thicken a lot, then turn off the heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the Sichuan peppercorn, reserving the rest for later. Transfer to a 4-cup measuring cup or bowl, partially cover, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Wash the pot then partially fill it with salted water. Bring to a boil then add the lasagna noodles. Cook according to package directions; the Jovial ones need only 4 minutes. Drain or use tongs to retrieve. Regardless, let the noodles lay flat on a dish towel.
While the pasta cooks, put the tofu blocks in a bowl then mash with a potato masher. Add the eggs, 2 tablespoons green onions, 2 cups cheese, 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Stir to combine well.
Put 1 cup of mapo sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange about one-third of the noodles on top, overlapping slightly. Patch if you have to. Plop half of the tofu mixture on top of the noodles, spreading it out into one layer. Top with 1 cup of the mapo sauce, spreading it out evenly; sprinkle on one-third of the green onions. Repeat with more noodles, tofu, sauce and green onion. Arrange the remaining noodles. Then top with the remaining sauce and green onions.
Sprinkle the lasagna with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese a and the remaining Sichuan peppercorn. Bake until the top is browned and the edges of noodles are crusty, 35 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.