Forty layers of lasagna? Yes, I counted them, or—I started to count them when Peter and I were dining at L’Ardente (200 Mass. Ave. NW). But somewhere in the middle of this unusual lasagna I lost count.

No matter, I was too busy consuming chef David Deschaies’ layers of short rib beef sugo (tomato-based sauce), truffle Mornay (like bechamel) and grated Sottocenere cheese. The latter is a truffled cow’s milk cheese from northern Italy’s Veneto region. Presented sideways on my plate, this amazing creation emerged from the kitchen of chef Deschaies and partner Eric Eden in their “simple but elegant’ Italian restaurant in the sprawling Capitol Crossing development.