Lasagne alla bolognese

Ustensile

• Heavy casserole or Dutch oven (4–5 l)
• Saucepan (2 l)
• Balloon whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Baking dish, 30 × 20 cm and at least 6 cm deep
• Aluminium foil

Înainte să începi

1. Dice the onion, carrot and celery into 3 mm cubes.
2. Cube the pancetta.
3. Take both minces out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead.
4. Heat the stock. Warm the béchamel milk just before you start the roux.
5. Grate the Parmigiano.

Mod de preparare

1. 1

   Render the pancetta

   2 lg. extra-virgin olive oil100 g pancetta

   Put the oil and pancetta in a heavy casserole over medium-low heat. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring now and then.

   E gata când The fat has turned clear and the cubes are pale gold at the edges, not crisp.

   Pornește cronometrul de 5 min
2. 2

   Soften the soffritto

   120 g onion100 g carrot100 g celery

   Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

   E gata când The vegetables are soft and glossy, the onion is translucent and the pan smells sweet; nothing has browned.

   Sfat Dice the vegetables small and evenly. Large pieces stay crunchy and never melt into the sauce.

   Pornește cronometrul de 10 min
3. 3

   Brown the meat

   500 g minced beef250 g minced pork

   Turn the heat to high and add both minces. Break them up with a wooden spoon and cook for 8–10 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat starts to fry.

   E gata când No pink remains, the pan sizzles loudly again and brown bits stick to the bottom.

   Sfat If the meat releases a lot of water, keep going: it only browns once that water has boiled off.

   Pornește cronometrul de 10 min
4. 4

   Deglaze with wine

   150 ml dry white wine

   Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes.

   E gata când The sharp smell of alcohol is gone and almost no liquid is left in the pan.

   Pornește cronometrul de 3 min
5. 5

   Simmer the ragù

   30 g tomato paste400 g tomato passata250 ml beef stock6 g fine saltdupă gust black pepper

   Stir in the tomato paste, then the passata, hot stock, salt and a few turns of pepper. Bring to a bare simmer, partly cover and cook over very low heat for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.

   E gata când Only one or two lazy bubbles break the surface at a time; the sauce darkens to a deep brick red and the fat begins to pool on top.

   Sfat If it looks dry before the time is up, add a few spoons of hot water. It should stay loose, not stick.

   Pornește cronometrul de 2 h
6. 6

   Finish with milk

   150 ml whole milk

   Pour in the milk and stir. Simmer uncovered over very low heat for 30 minutes more, then taste for salt.

   E gata când The milk has disappeared into the sauce, which is thick, spoonable and coats the back of the spoon. The meat has long passed the safe 71 °C for minced meat.

   Sfat The milk softens the acidity of the tomato and makes the meat tender. It does not make the ragù creamy.

   Pornește cronometrul de 30 min
7. 7

   Cook the roux

   70 g unsalted butter70 g plain flour

   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking all the time.

   E gata când The roux bubbles, smells like biscuits and is still pale blond.

   Pornește cronometrul de 2 min
8. 8

   Make the béchamel

   900 ml whole milk1 vârf de cuțit nutmeg4 g fine salt

   Pour in the warm milk in three additions, whisking hard after each. Simmer over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, whisking often, then add the nutmeg and salt.

   E gata când The sauce is smooth with no lumps and coats a spoon thickly; a line drawn with your finger stays clear.

   Sfat Keep it slightly runnier than you think: the dry sheets absorb liquid in the oven.

   Pornește cronometrul de 8 min
9. 9

   Heat the oven

   Heat the oven to 180 °C (fan 160 °C) with a rack in the middle. Butter a 30 × 20 cm baking dish.

   E gata când The oven light goes off or the thermometer reads 180 °C.

   180 °C · 356 °F Pornește cronometrul de 15 min
10. 10

    Build the layers

    300 g dried egg lasagne sheets100 g Parmigiano Reggiano

    Spread a thin layer of béchamel in the dish, then lay sheets on top without overlapping. Repeat ragù, béchamel, a handful of Parmigiano and sheets for 5–6 layers, finishing with béchamel and the last of the Parmigiano.

    E gata când Every sheet is covered at the edges; no dry pasta corners show on the top layer.

    Sfat Sauce on every edge matters: exposed dry pasta stays hard and turns brittle in the oven.
11. 11

    Bake

    Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more.

    E gata când The top is golden with darker brown spots, the edges bubble and a knife slides through the centre without resistance.

    180 °C · 356 °F Pornește cronometrul de 45 min
12. 12

    Rest before cutting

    Take the dish out and let it rest on a rack for 20 minutes before cutting.

    E gata când The bubbling has stopped and a cut square holds its layers instead of sliding apart.

    Sfat Cutting straight from the oven makes the layers collapse into a soup.

    Pornește cronometrul de 20 min

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