Lasagna Bolognese
This classic lasagna is so good on a crisp, wintery day. My lasagna uses ragu Bolognese inspired by the great Marcella Hazan that I’ve tweaked over the years, and now is my go to recipe to have simmering on the stove at least once a month in the winter.
Now when it comes to the lasagna sheets some like thicker pasta sheets and some like many thin layers of lasagna sheets which is my favorite. Make some bechamel and that’s all you need for a great lasagna
It is easy but it does take time, and is definitely a labor of love that is so worth it. I use a lasagna pan that has higher sides that is about 9 in by 7 in, but this can also work in a classic 13 in by 9 in pan. In fact, when I’m visiting family I double the recipe and make two 13 in x 9 in pans
Lasagna Bolognese
Lasagna Bolognese
Serves 4 to 6
Ragu Bolognese
Ingredients:
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
200 gms (approx 1/2 an lb) ground chuck
200 gms (1/2 an lb) ground pork
1 Italian pork sausage
1 can of whole peeled tomatoes pr passata
1 TB tomato paste
1 to 2 cups milk
1 cup dry red wine
1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
A leftover rind of parmigiano (optional)
EVOO
Salt to taste
Bechamel
1L Milk
40 gms butter
40 gms AP flour
salt to taste
pinch of white pepper
a grating of nutmeg
Parmigiano Reggiano for the lasagna assembly
Use your favorite lasagna sheets. I made fresh pasta sheets of egg dough with 200 grams of 00 flour and 2 eggs for the pasta dough in a classic Bolognese egg dough
Method
For the ragu:
Drizzle some EVOO in a pot, pre-heat on medium flame and add the carrots, onion, and celery. Sautee until they're almost caramelized which could take a while...at least 20 minutes. Simultaneously I start to brown the meat to save some time in a separate pan. I drizzle some EVOO in a pan, add the meat and cook while breaking it up. When it's no longer pink and just starting to brown, I cover the meat with milk and simmer until the milk is reduced. About this time, the veggies will be caramelized and add tomato paste to the veggies, continue to caramelize the veggies and add the meat to the same pot. Add the wine, and when the alcohol cooks off and wine reduces you add the whole peeled tomatoes or passata, Add water or broth so that the meat is just covered, bring to a simmer. Add your aromatics, rind of cheese if using and simmer for about 3 to 4 hours (it's a labor of love). You'll have to stir it every so often, and top up with water or broth until the ragu is done. You'll know it's done because the meat will be so tender. I season with salt to taste at the end, not before. Use for lasagna or your favorite pasta.
For the bechamel:
First you need to have mise en place ready so that the bechamel comes out right. You need a medium sized pot, a silcon spatula, and a whisk ready when you start.
Melt the butter in the pot on medium flame, don't let it brown. Add the flour when the butter is melted and immediately start stiring with the spatula. The flour should lightly cook in the butter so you won't have that raw flour taste but you also don't want it to brown. Slowly pour in a small amount of the milk, and immediately start whisking to remove any lumps. Keep adding the milk in batches, whisking out the lumps in each batch until you've added all of it. Once all the milk is added you cannot leave the bechamel unattended. You'll slowly sweep the spatula back and forth until it reaches the consistency you're looking for. I usually like it not too thick, but also not too liquidy. It should have a nice coating on the back of the spoon. Season to taste with salt, a pinch of white pepper and a grating of nutmeg. I cover and let it sit while I roll out my pasta dough. It will continue to thicken as it sits.
For the lasagna assembly you can use a classic 13in x 9in pan for a shallow lasagna with a few layers or a 9in x 7 in for a deeper lasagna with many layers.
Drizzle some EVOO or sauce as the first layer. Add a layer of pasta sheets, add dollops of sauce, add some ladles of bechamel, sprinkle some Parmigiano Reggiano, and keep repeating the layers. There is no wrong or right way to layer, just layer as your heart desires but save some bechamel and ragu for the top layer. Sprinkle some more Parmigiano Reggiano at the top layer, carefully cover with aluminum and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 min at 200 C/ 375F for 15 to 20 min. Remove the aluminum and cook for another 20 minutes. Each oven varies, you want all the pasta sheets cooked through, all the flavors to meld and the top to be nice and crispy.
