LASAGNA ALLA BOLOGNESE

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Lasagna:

• 250 g ready-made lasagna sheets
• 400 g béchamel sauce
• Grated cheese, to taste

For the Bolognese Sauce:

• 150 g diced pancetta
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 500 g ground beef
• 200 ml red wine
• 400 ml tomato puree
• 200 ml milk
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Preparation Steps

Step 1: Prepare the Bolognese Sauce

1. Cook the Pancetta: Start by browning the pancetta in a pan over high heat until some fat has rendered.
2. Add Vegetables: Add olive oil, diced celery, carrot, and onion to the pancetta. Stir with a spoon and cook the soffritto for a few minutes.
3. Add Ground Beef: Crumble the ground beef as you add it to the pan, mixing it to distribute evenly. After 5 minutes, deglaze with the red wine and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
4. Add Tomato Puree: At this point, add the tomato puree, adjusting with salt and pepper, and give it a good stir.
5. Simmer: Cook on low heat for at least an hour and a half with the lid on, allowing the sauce to thicken.
6. Incorporate Milk: Pour in the milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and creamy; if necessary, cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 2: Assemble the Lasagna

7. Start Layering: Once the Bolognese sauce is ready, begin assembling the lasagna by spreading a few tablespoons of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
8. Add Béchamel: Drizzle a few tablespoons of béchamel sauce over the Bolognese.
9. Add Grated Cheese: Sprinkle with a handful of grated cheese.
10. Repeat Layers: Cover with another layer of pasta and repeat the process: Bolognese, béchamel, and grated cheese. For the top layer, you can be generous with both béchamel and cheese for a delicious crust!

Step 3: Bake

11. Bake: Place the lasagna in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) and bake for 40 minutes.
12. Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving hot.

Tips

• Fresh Pasta: The lasagna will taste even better if you use homemade fresh pasta, but this requires a pasta machine. If you don’t have one, ready-made sheets from the refrigerated section will work just fine.
• Homemade Béchamel: Using homemade béchamel sauce will enhance the dish.
• Layering Options: We layered the Bolognese and béchamel separately, adding them in succession. Alternatively, you can mix them together beforehand and pour the mixture directly onto the pasta. This way, the pasta will have a more uniform color and still taste amazing.

Enjoy your delicious Lasagna alla Bolognese!