Lasagna Bolognese is known for its rich, flavorful filling, with layers of creamy, meaty flavor throughout. I’m not saying this is an easy lasagna to make. Because that’s actually not the case. This lasagna takes time. I think this is reserved for special meals, but it’s worth the time to prepare.
I made this for Christmas dinner and all I heard was, “This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had!” I have to agree with that statement.
Fresh thin pasta sheets are a must. It can’t be compared to dried noodles, and if I had to say it, there’s no need to boil it.I repeat, there’s no need to boil it. There’s also béchamel sauce, which replaces the ricotta cheese often used in Italian-American lasagna like this one.
Béchamel is a creamy white sauce made with butter, flour, and whole milk.
However, the star of this lasagna is Bolognese sauce, which originates from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region.
This is a slow-cooked meat sauce that is usually made with high-quality ground beef, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, milk, garlic, and white wine. You can also use red, but I prefer using white. My personal opinion is that red wines are too heavy in taste and white wines are much lighter. After all, there’s a lot going on here.
The great thing about this dish is that you can make the sauce 3 days in advance and let it cook slowly without having to rush it. It’s a great sauce that gets even more flavorful if you let it sit. As you can see in my photo from the edge of the pot, the sauce will thicken and reduce as it cooks slowly, and that’s exactly what you want.
This wonderful sauce can also be tossed with tagliatelle pasta when you’re not making lasagna. It is best to use wide pasta instead of spaghetti, etc. Wider pasta will coat the sauce better.
By preparing in advance, you can relax and enjoy your meal on the day of the meal.
The lasagna mold was fully assembled the day before, covered with foil, and kept in the fridge until ready and ready to cook the next day.
Note: If you have a source where you can buy high-quality fresh egg pasta sheets, like homemade, you can definitely cut down on the prep time. I tried to do that at Poppy’s Pasta, a new pasta shop that opened in my neighborhood, but they didn’t have enough pasta so I ended up making my own. To be honest, I didn’t even know how much I actually needed to get all the layers in the bread.
This is a fairly large lasagna, made in a 13 x 9, 3 inch deep pan, and ended up with 7 layers.
It was very cold when I left it in the fridge overnight, so I took it out at least an hour before going into the oven so it could get closer to room temperature.
The layers cut like butter without falling apart, making it a truly special occasion meal and a true labor of love.
You and your family and friends are sure to love this special lasagna.
Traditional lasagna bolognese with beshmel sauce
A traditional Italian baked pasta dish from Emilia-Romagna. It features fresh béchamel-flavored egg pasta sheets and slow-cooked meat sauce.
material
For the meat sauce: 2 pounds grass-fed lean ground beef 3 carrots 4 stalks of celery 1 large onion 3 cloves crushed garlic 28 ounces can crushed San Marzano tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup white wine 1 cup milk 3 tablespoons each butter and olive oil You will also need the Parmesan rind to mix in while cooking. You’ll also need a pound between layers. Shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (not in a bag) Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 2-3 cups (real) béchamel sauce… 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups whole milk flour 6 cups nutmeg Salt, a good pinch of pepper Fresh pasta dough… 2 cups flour 2 eggs 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt 1/4 teaspoon water Drizzle as needed to roll the dough
Instructions
Important note…the bolognese sauce is made 3 days in advance, the béchamel is made 2 days in advance, and the pasta is made the day you assemble the lasagna, the day before you actually cook and serve it. Bolognese…Pulse carrots, celery, garlic, and onion in a food processor. If you want to make sure the vegetables are not crushed, you can also chop them into smaller pieces with a knife. Add butter, olive oil, and pulsed vegetables to a saucepan and simmer until softened. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Glaze with wine and bring to a simmer. Add tomato paste until absorbed, then add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Add cooked vegetables back to tomato mixture. Mix everything, bring to a boil, add a cup of milk and simmer over low heat. Add the cheese rind and simmer gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. It must be boiled for 2-3 hours at a very low temperature. You will see it thicken. At that point, it’s complete. Once cool, cover and refrigerate. Béchamel… Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and mix, then slowly add the warm milk, making sure there are no lumps. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Fresh Pasta…Use a food processor to make the dough. It’s easy and comes together perfectly. With metal blade attached, add flour, olive oil, salt, and pulse. Then add both eggs and pulse. Next, mix the dough to form a dough ball. Wait for it to come together. You may need to add a little water down the shoot to help the dough come together. When a ball of dough forms, pull it out and knead it on the table until smooth, adding a little flour. Wrap it in plastic wrap and set aside. Make 3 times with 3 balls. Then you’ll need a hand-rolling pasta machine or a pasta machine with an attachment for your KitchenAid machine. You need to roll out the dough thinly, and you will end up with a number 6. The fabric should be transparent when stretched. Time to assemble the lasagna… Butter a 13×9 3-inch deep baking dish. Warm up the Bolognese and Béchamel sauces, grate the cheese and prepare. In a large pot, bring salted water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a boil, then bring to a simmer. When rolling out, cut the pasta sheet to fit the size of the pot. Drop just a few sheets at a time into the water, let them sit in the water for 30 seconds to a minute, then gently remove them and soak them in ice water, then place the sheets on a clean linen towel to dry, patting them dry as needed. Don’t pile wet pasta on top of lasagna. That would be a disaster. That’s where the fun begins… Spread the first layer of béchamel on the bottom of the pan, then a dry pasta sheet, spread the béchamel all over, and spoon over the bolognese sauce. Lightly sprinkle all over with shredded mozzarella cheese and, of course, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat until all layers are 6-7 layers. The final layer is topped with Bolognese and grated cheese. Now spread some butter on it. Cover with foil and put in the fridge, then clean up the kitchen. Tomorrow, just take it out and bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil for another 20 minutes until the top is slightly crispy. (Ovens vary) The center of the lasagna should read 165. It gets hot enough. Let rest for 30 minutes before cutting. It’s definitely a labor of love, but I promise it’s worth it.
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(Tag translation) Bechamel sauce
