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Classic Bolognese Lasagna

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PREP TIME
30 min
COOKING TIME
358 min
TOTAL TIME
403 min
SERVINGS
12 servings
Dinner
Classic Bolognese Lasagna
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 pound pancetta (Italian bacon), diced
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 1 3/4 cups chopped carrots
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 pounds coarsely ground chuck
  • 1 pound coarsely ground pork shoulder
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups no-salt crushed tomatoes in puree
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 8 (9x13-inch) fresh lasagna sheets
  • 2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
1
Heat a generous amount of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Introduce the pancetta; cook and stir until it reaches a rich, browned color, approximately 8 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until they are extremely tender, around 15 minutes. Incorporate the beef and pork; season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until the ingredients are evenly browned, taking around 20 minutes.
2
Next, pour a moderate amount of white wine into the pot; cook until the alcohol has evaporated, roughly 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar; bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for Bolognese sauce, stirring occasionally and removing excess fat from the surface, approximately 3 1/2 hours. If the sauce appears dry, stir in beef broth, 1/4 cup at a time.
3
Combine heavy cream and 1/2 cup of milk into the Bolognese sauce; mix well. Cover the pot and cook over very low heat until the flavors have melded together, roughly 30 minutes.
4
In a separate saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Gradually incorporate flour until a smooth paste forms; cook and stir until the mixture turns a golden, sandy color, approximately 7 minutes.
5
Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk 4 cups of milk into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and add a bay leaf for added flavor. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally until the bechamel sauce has thickened and smoothed out, roughly 10 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg; discard the bay leaf.
6
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
7
Spread 1/4 cup of bechamel sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with a single lasagna sheet; prick several holes in it using a paring knife. Spread 1/2 cup of bechamel sauce and 1/2 cup of Bolognese sauce on top. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over the layer.
8
Repeat this process a total of 7 times, using up all the remaining lasagna sheets, bechamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
9
Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven until it is bubbly, approximately 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking until the cheese has turned a golden brown, roughly 20 minutes more. Allow it to cool before serving, approximately 15 minutes.