Schwarzriesling, or Pinot Meunier, is a black grape variety that it most commonly known for being one of main three grapes used in the production of Champagne. Of course it can also be vinified into a still, varietal wine like the German example I chose to pair with this recipe – the Prinzenhaus Schwarzriesling.
The wine shows harmonious dark berry and roasted aromas and has a fine, velvety tannin structure. Meunier is a close relative to Pinot Noir, and as so, can be paired similarly with food. Think of things like roasted vegetables, chicken or duck; fatty fish and pasta dishes.
I chose a recipe from Prinzenhaus’s own website, but swapped out the 500 grams of ground meat for black beans and mushrooms to cut back on my meat consumption. Mine turned out fabulously, but if you prefer the meat just sub it back in!
Ingredients
| 400 grams – Lasagne Noodles |
| 250 grams – Black Beans, drained & rinsed |
| 250 grams – Mushrooms, chopped |
| 2 White Onions, diced |
| 3 Garlic Cloves, finely diced |
| 1 Zucchini, diced |
| 2 Carrots, diced |
| 2 Bell Peppers, diced |
| 400 grams – Ajvar |
| 1 Bunch of Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped |
| 125 ml – Prinzenhaus Schwarzriesling (any dry red wine will do) |
| 500 ml – Milk |
| 50 grams – Butter |
| 40 grams – Flour |
| Salt & Pepper |
| 1 Bay Leaf |
| A Pinch of Nutmeg |
| 250 grams – Shredded Mozzarella |
| 175 grams – Freshly Grated Parmesan |
| Olive Oil |
Total time needed: approx 1 hour 40 mins.
Feeds 4-6 people generously.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 180°C.
- Open your bottle of wine, pour yourself a glass and set the rest aside.
- Prepare ingredients as directed on the ingredient list above, i.e. chop, dice, drain, etc.
- Dilute the Ajvar with about 125 ml of water. Stir and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions for 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the carrots and continue to sauté for another minute.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, and beans and continue to fry for about 2 minutes before adding in the mushrooms, zucchini and ajvar. Stir well.
- Add wine and reduce the heat to a simmer. Salt & pepper to taste.
- Let simmer for at least 30 minutes uncovered.
Prepare the Béchamel:
- In a separate, small pot melt about 30 grams of butter at a low temperature. Add in the bay leaf and stir.
- Stir flour into the butter spoonful by spoonful and then gradually add the milk while stirring to create a creamy consistency.
- Let the sauce simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir periodically to ensure the flour doesn’t settle to the bottom and burn.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste.
Lasagna Preparation:
Grease an ovenproof dish with butter.
1st layer: Spoon out some béchamel sauce into the bottom of the dish and sprinkle a layer of shredded mozzarella on top.
2nd layer: Add a layer of lasagne sheets. Tip: break the corners of the sheets so that they fit into the corners of the pan.
3rd layer: Spoon a layer of vegetable sauce onto the pasta sheets and spread it evenly.
4th layer: Repeat layer 2.
Repeat steps 1-4 and fill the dish layer by layer.
Finish with another layer of béchamel and cover with plenty of mozzarella and grated parmesan.
Tip: spoon a little bit of water around the edges of the dish to keep it from drying out while baking.
Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 180° C for approx. 30-40 mins.
Then remove the foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Enjoy!
Interested in the same wine? Click here to visit the Prinzenhaus shop, where they source Demeter-certified biodynamic & vegan wines from the German community.
For the German version of this recipe and more, check out the Prinzenhaus youtube channel!
the.wine.girl 