Bolognese Lasagna from Scratch with Bechamel

Using a food processor, very finely mince onions, celery, carrots, shallots, and garlic. You want it to melt into the sauce.

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground beef, then remove, leaving rendered fat.

Turn heat to medium, then add finely minced vegetables to the rendered fat. Add some olive oil if you need to. Saute until very fragrant.

Add tomato paste and mix to fully coat the vegetables, and saute until the tomato paste becomes deeper in color.

Add red wine, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Return meat to the pan along with crushed tomatoes. If you are adding calabrian chilis, add at this point.

Turn heat to low, cover the dutch oven and allow to simmer for at least 2 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with pasta and freshly shredded pecorino romano or parmigiana reggiano

In a large sauce pan, melt butter on low heat, then sift flour into the melted butter with salt and pepper. Build a roux by whisking until smooth and raw flour taste is cooked out, about 3-4 minutes.

In a separate sauce pan, warm milk

Slowly add in warmed milk into roux, whisking constantly. Turn heat up to medium, continuing to whisk until bechamel thickens. It should coat the back of the spoon.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed

Clean the surface you are using, then pour out 500g of 00 flour. If you can’t find 00 flour, sift all purpose flour.

In the pile of flour, make a well big enough for eggs. Scramble eggs and slowly incorporate flour. Continue to knead dough until it is smooth and bounces back when you press it in. If it is too wet, add flour. If it is not coming together and is too dry, add water.

Rest under a slightly damp towel for at least an hour

Roll lasagna out to desired thinness. I like level 7 in the Atlas. Cut noodles about ½ inch longer than the dish you are using.

Cook in heavily salted boiling water for 1 minute one layer at a time as you assemble. If you want to cook them all at once, store them in a bowl of ice water as you assemble to prevent them from sticking together

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a deep casserole dish, add a thin layer of bechamel

After bechamel, add a layer of cooked lasagna noodles (or dry if you are using no-cook lasagna noodles).

After lasagna noodles, add more bechamel, then Bolognese, then three cheese blend. Each layer should be pretty thin. Don’t worry about coating every inch.

Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes. If the cheese has not browned yet, broil on high for 1 minute.

Let rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy hot!