Italian
Lasagna alla Bolognese
Emilia-Romagna lasagna layered with slow ragu, besciamella, and fresh pasta, baked to a supple, deeply savory slice with browned edges.
8 servings · 65 minutes prep · 240 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ragu and Assembly
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 celery rib, minced
- 1 pound ground beef chuck
- 1/2 pound ground pork shoulder
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 can (28 ounces) Italian peeled tomatoes, crushed
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound fresh spinach egg lasagna sheets
- 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
Besciamella
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk, hot
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
Cook the Ragù
- Warm the extra-virgin olive oil and unsalted butter in a Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook gently until the fat renders.
- Add the yellow onion, carrot, and celery ribs. Cook until soft and sweet but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and ground pork and cook, breaking them up, until browned and {{temperature:160°F}}. Add the wine and reduce nearly dry, then add the milk and simmer until absorbed.
- Stir in the peeled tomatoes, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer partly covered until thick but still moist, 2 1/2-3 hours.
Make the Besciamella
- For the besciamella, melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan, whisk in the all-purpose flour, and cook for 2 minutes without browning. Whisk in the whole milk, then add the fine sea salt and nutmeg. Simmer until smooth and lightly thickened, about 6 minutes.
Layer, Bake, and Rest
- Heat the oven to 375F. Spread a thin layer of ragu in a baking dish, then build about 6 thin pasta layers with the spinach egg lasagna sheets, ragu, besciamella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, bubbling, and {{temperature:165°F}} at the center, about 20 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes.
