Lasagna Alla Bolognese Recipe

Prepare soffritto

Heat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When the butter melts, add the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent but not browned, about 8–10 minutes.

Cook pancetta and garlic

Add the chopped pancetta and cook 3–4 minutes until it renders some fat. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the meat

Raise heat to medium-high, add the ground meat. Break it up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink and some browning develops, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt as it cooks.

Deglaze and tomato base

Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize. Pour in 200 ml red wine to deglaze, scraping up brown bits; simmer until most of the wine has evaporated, about 4–5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes (400 g) and 250 ml stock, stir to combine.

Add milk and simmer gently

Pour in 200 ml whole milk and add the bay leaf, 0.5 tsp dried oregano and 0.25 tsp nutmeg (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles, partially cover, and cook gently for at least 1 hour—ideally 1.5–2 hours—for depth of flavor. Stir occasionally and add a splash of stock or water if it becomes too thick. Adjust salt near the end (about another 0.5 tsp if needed). Remove bay leaf before assembly.

Warm milk

Gently warm 900 ml milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Keep warm on the lowest heat or remove from heat while you make the roux.

Make roux

In a separate medium saucepan, melt 60 g butter over medium heat. Add 60 g all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour without browning; this creates a blond roux.

Incorporate milk

Gradually pour the warm milk into the roux in a steady stream while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until sauce thickens and becomes smooth, about 6–8 minutes over medium-low heat.

Season béchamel

Once thickened to a pourable but coating consistency, remove from heat and season with 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 0.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a little warm milk or stock to reach desired consistency. Keep covered to prevent a skin from forming until assembly.

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly oil a 23x33 cm (9x13 inch) baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil.

Layer lasagna

Spread a thin layer (about 100–150 ml) of ragù on the bottom of the dish to prevent sticking. Place a single layer of lasagna sheets to cover the base (trim to fit as needed). Spoon about one-third of the ragù evenly over the pasta, then drizzle or spread roughly one-third of the béchamel over the ragù. Dot with about half of the ricotta (if using) in spoonfuls, sprinkle ~50 g Parmigiano and a third of the shredded mozzarella (if using). Repeat: pasta sheets, one-third ragù, one-third béchamel, remaining ricotta, another ~50 g Parmigiano and another third of mozzarella. Finish with a final layer of pasta sheets, remaining ragù spread thinly, remaining béchamel spread evenly over the top, and sprinkle remaining Parmigiano and remaining mozzarella.

Bake

Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. If you prefer a more browned top, finish under a broiler for 2–3 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning.

Rest and serve

Remove lasagna from oven and let rest 15–20 minutes to set (this makes slicing cleaner). Cut into portions, grate an extra sprinkle of Parmigiano over each serving if desired, and serve warm.