Name: Authentic Italian Lasagna
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 8 people
Ingredients: 300 g of All Purpose Flour; 3 Eggs; 500 g of Ground Beef; 500 g of Ground Pork; 1 l of Sieved Tomatoes; 1 White Onions; 1 clove of Garlic; 2 Carrots; 1 stalk of Celery; 5 leaves of Bay; 1 glass of Red Wine; 1 tablespoon of Tomato Paste; to taste of Extra Virgin Olive Oil; to taste of Table Salt; to taste of Black Pepper; 100 g of All Purpose Flour; 100 g of Butter; 1 l of Whole Milk; to taste of Nutmeg; to taste of Table Salt; to taste of Butter; to taste of Parmesan Cheese

Are you on the lookout for the perfect Sunday dinner meal? Here you go, try some Italian Lasagna made with homemade beef ragu, bechamel white sauce and silky homemade pasta: you won’t be disappointed.

This recipe will teach you how to make your lasagne at home from scratch and, while it may seem daunting, it’s not difficult. You should start by making the ragù and while it simmers you can make some homemade pasta (fresh lasagna sheets/noodles); lastly you can preparare some white sauce (bechamel). You can also prepare you Lasagna in advance and pop it in the oven just before dinner.

You might be wondering if this dish is called Lasagna or Lasagne: well, both are correct and simply are the singular (Lasagna) and plural (Lasagne) form. Both forms are used in Italy to refer to this dish, but the plural form is preferred.
We, as Italian, always prefer to make our own pasta handmade from scratch but it’s very common (even in Italy) to go to the store and buy some ready made pasta (both fresh and dried sheets). Remember, if you are going to use dried lasagna noodles, check on the box for instructions about pre-boiling them.place the flour in the middle of the work surface and create a “well” in the center of the flour

Instructions

To prepare Italian Lasagna start by preparing the meat sauce: chop the onion, carrots, celery and a clove of garlic. Put everything in a saucepan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cook. Then add the two types of mince, season with salt and pepper and brown carefully. When the mince is well cooked, deglaze over high heat with a glass of red wine.

Lower the flame add a teaspoon of tomato paste and the sieved tomatoes, then mix everything well. Adjust the salt and cook for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After this time has elapsed, add the bay leaves, stir well and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the flame and let cool.

While the meat sauce is cooking, devote yourselves to the fresh pasta: place the flour in the middle of the work surface and create a “well” in the center of the flour and add a pinch of salt and the eggs in the center. Beat the eggs vigorously with the help of a fork, then start mixing them with the flour starting from the center. Mix well until all the flour is incorporated, then compact the mixture to form a loaf and knead it for at least 5 minutes. Wrap the loaf with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Take the loaf of dough and place it on the work surface, flatten it and roll it out with a rolling pin until a very thin sheet is obtained, then cut it according to the length needed. You can also use a pasta maker machine for this step. Boil the lasagna sheets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain them and let them dry lying on a clean cloth.

Now prepare the béchamel (white sauce) starting with the Roux: melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sifted flour and stir with a whisk to remove lumps. When the Roux is golden brown pour in the milk while continuing to stir with the whisk. Add a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of salt and cook for another 10 minutes.

Start assembling the lasagna: take an oven dish sprinkle the bottom of it with a couple of tablespoons of béchamel sauce, arrange a layer of lasagna sheets, sprinkle with the meat sauce, then with the béchamel sauce, and finally sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat until the ingredients are finished, finishing the last layer with plenty of Parmesan cheese to make sure you get the classic lasagna crust.

Coat the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 390°F (200ºC), then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the Lasagna al Forno cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Alternatives

To prepare tasty Lasagna made with green egg pasta cook some spinach in a saucepan until soft. Drain and rinse them under running cold water to stop them from cooking, then squeeze them very well. Chop them finely and add them into the fresh pasta dough while incorporating the flour. You should follow this recipe: Lasagna Bolognese.

Authentic Italian Lasagna

Ingredients

Instructions

Alternatives

Storage