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Lasagna
Recipe video above. One of my signature recipes! This is a lasagna made the traditional Italian way, with a slow cooked ragu and a béchamel sauce ("Besciamella"). No ricotta - that's the American-Italian version. Though it requires patience to make, it is worth every minute. The ragu bolognese is melt-in-you-mouth tender and the sauce is rich and thick. Makes 8 giant or 10 normal servings. This lasagna has 4 layers of lasagna sheets with 3 layers of meat and cheese sauce, then finished with a cheese sauce topping. You could stretch it to 4 ragu layers. If making 5 layers, scale up the recipe by 25% (click on servings and slide) and use a very deep pan!
Prep
20 min
Cook
4h
Total
4h 20m
Serves
10
Instructions
- 01
Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes until softened and sweet - they should not brown (if they do, turn heat down).
- 02
Add beef, turn heat up and cook the beef, breaking it up as you go.
- 03
Once the beef has all turned brown, add the remaining Ragu ingredients EXCEPT the sugar.
- 04
Stir then adjust the heat so it is bubbling very gently. Place the lid on and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours, stirring every now and then, then remove the lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
- 05
The ragu is ready when the meat is really tender and the sauce has thickened and is rich - see video for consistency (Note 6). Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and add sugar if required (Note 3)
- 06
Warm milk up in a saucepan (optional - just makes sauce thicken faster).
- 07
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Add flour and mix constantly for 1 minute.
- 08
Pour about 1 cup of the milk in, mixing as you go to incorporate into the flour mixture. Once mostly lump free, add remaining milk. Use a whisk if needed to make it lump free.
- 09
Turn heat up to medium high. Stir occasionally at first then regularly after a few minutes until sauce thickens - about 5 - 8 minutes. It should coat the back of the wooden spoon.
- 10
Remove from heat, add cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until the cheese is melted. The Sauce should be thick but still easily pourable - the consistency of heavy cream (you need to be able to drizzle it over the Ragu when layering - see video). If it's too thick, add a splash of water or milk.
- 11
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- 12
Use a 33 x 22 x 7 cm / 13 x 9 x 2.5" baking dish.
- 13
Smear a bit of Ragu on the base, then cover with lasagna sheets. Tear sheets to fit.
- 14
Spread over 2 1/2 cups of Ragu (enough to cover sheets), then drizzle over 1 cup of Cheese Sauce.
- 15
Top with lasagna sheets (Note 7). Spread with another 2 1/2 cups of Ragu, then 1 cup of Cheese Sauce. Top with lasagna sheets then repeat 1 more time.
- 16
Top with a 4th layer of lasagna sheets, then pour over the remaining Cheese Sauce.
- 17
Sprinkle with Mozzarella, then bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- 18
Stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving, garnished with basil or parsley if desired.
Nutrition
per serving · 398 g
- Calories
- 594
- Protein
- 39g
- Carbs
- 40g
- Fat
- 29g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Sugar
- 11g
- Sat. fat
- 15g
- Sodium
- 979mg
- Cholesterol
- 146mg
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