Lasagna Bolognese

 

Lasagna Bolognese

Sundays for me start off with a soccer game. After the game I look forward to a trip to Whole Foods (because I have my car), followed up with a home cooked meal. Aside from the stares I get for looking like a lobster with weird marks on it's legs after a game, this routine is comforting to me. Mondays are just a little bit better because I have leftovers, and a clear mind. I hope that when I am older Sundays are dedicated to family time. My good friend MC growing up had family night every Sunday - and I always envied that. I suppose because I didn't have that growing up, it's that much more special to me now that I have this dinner guarantee on Sundays.

Today I decided lasagna would be perfect. I haven't posted a pasta recipe in a while, and the new Bon Appétit magazine has the best lasagna recipe. In the words of the magazine, "Maybe you're not a nonna. And you didn't inherit a faded recipe for lasagna bolognese from one, either. Not to worry. What matters is that this version of the Italian classic tastes as though it's been perfected over generations." 

The original recipe calls for you to make your own pasta, but I didn't do this for two reasons. A) ain't nobody got time for that, and B) what normal 24 year old has a pasta maker? Fresh pasta from the store will just have to do. The original recipe also has you make the sauce the night before, but frankly, I just didn't have the patience.

As I've mentioned before, I'm always willing to try new recipes for dishes - it's only until I find my absolute favorite recipe that I tend to stop trying new ones. Lasagna is a dish I feel will be different with each recipe, so I am definitely willing to try different recipes. I guess I just haven't found my favorite yet... but this may be it.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb ground beef chuck

1 lb ground pork

4 oz pancetta, finely chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup whole milk

1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

Béchamel Sauce:

5 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 cups whole milk, warmed

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Kosher salt

Assembly:

Kosher salt

Unsalted butter, room temperature (for dish)

2 cups finely grated Parmesan

Up to two days ahead:

Make the bolognese sauce

1. Pulse onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor until finely chopped

2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium head. Add ground beef, ground pork, pancetta, and vegetables; cook, breaking up ground meat with a spoon, until moisture is almost completely evaporated and meat is well browned , 25-30 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 

3. Add wine to pot and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. about 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until moisture is almost completely evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and 2 cups broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, adding water by 1/2 cupfuls if sauce looks dry, until flavors meld and sauce thickens, 2 1/2 - 3 hours. 

4. Let sauce cool, then cover and chill at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. (Letting the sauce sit will give it a deeper, richer flavor.) - I skipped this step.

Up to one day ahead:

Make the béchamel

1. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming

2. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute

A) Whisk in warm milk, 1/2 cupful at a time. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until the consistency of cream, 8-10 minutes B); add nutmeg and season with salt. 

Assemble the lasagna

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 baking dish with butter

7. Spread the béchamel in the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, spread over a scant 3/4 Bolognese sauce, then 1/2 cup béchamel, and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat process 7 mire tunesm starting with noodles and ending with Parmesan, for a total of 8 layers

 

8. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake lasagna until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 50-60 minutes. Let lasagna sit 45 minutes before serving