Lasagne alla Bolognese
Layered pasta with slow-cooked ragù, creamy béchamel and Parmesan baked until bubbling, golden and deeply comforting.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red or white wine
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 can / 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk, warmed
- 12 to 15 lasagne sheets, fresh or no-boil
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp butter, for greasing the baking dish
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
- 450 g ground beef
- 225 g ground pork
- 45 ml tomato paste
- 240 ml dry red or white wine
- 240 ml whole milk
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 240 ml beef or chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2.5 ml fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 ml black pepper
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 720 ml whole milk, warmed
- 12 to 15 lasagne sheets, fresh or no-boil
- 100 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 15 g butter, for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, then cook 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned.
- Add ground beef and pork. Cook 8–10 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces, until browned and most moisture has evaporated.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until mostly reduced.
- Add 1 cup milk and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, salt, pepper and nutmeg if using.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the ragù uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of stock if it becomes too dry. The sauce should be thick, rich and meaty.
- Make the béchamel. Melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes without browning.
- Slowly whisk in the warmed milk. Cook 6–8 minutes, whisking often, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season lightly with salt and nutmeg.
- Heat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Spread a thin layer of ragù on the bottom of the dish. Add pasta sheets, then ragù, béchamel and Parmesan. Repeat layers, finishing with béchamel and Parmesan on top.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Let the lasagne rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing so the layers set properly.
Cultural Context
Lasagne alla Bolognese comes from Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s great food regions. Unlike many ricotta-heavy versions, the Bolognese classic usually leans on slow-cooked meat ragù, béchamel, pasta and Parmesan.
Fun Fact
In Bologna, ragù is often served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti. Lasagne alla Bolognese gives that same rich sauce a starring role in one of Italy’s most beloved baked pasta dishes.
Cook’s Tip
Let the ragù simmer until it is thick and meaty, not watery. Then let the baked lasagne rest before slicing. Impatience here creates pasta landslides, which are tragic but edible.
Trivia
Emilia-Romagna is also famous for Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar from Modena, prosciutto di Parma and mortadella. Subtle little food region, clearly.
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