Description
Hearty Italian Lasagne Ragu brings layers of rich, slow-cooked meaty goodness from Bologna’s culinary heart. Silky pasta sheets nestled with savory beef ragu create a comforting meal that will transport you straight to Italy’s warm kitchen tables.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 500 grams (1.1 pounds) beef mince
- 500 grams (1.1 pounds) pork mince
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 2 white onions, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 700 grams (24.7 ounces) passata
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt & pepper
Dairy and Cheese:
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 3 cups milk
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) gruyere, grated
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) parmesan, grated
- 20 grams (0.7 ounces) parmesan
- 20 grams (0.7 ounces) mozzarella
Pasta:
- 400 grams (14.1 ounces) 00 flour
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) semolina flour
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) eggs
- 1 te
Instructions
- Craft handmade pasta dough, allowing it to relax and then delicately slice into uniform sheets.
- Sear ground meat in separate batches, ensuring deep caramelization and rich flavor development.
- Create aromatic vegetable base by gently sweating finely chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Enhance meat sauce by incorporating tomato paste, red wine, crushed tomatoes, passata, and water, then simmer slowly for approximately 2 hours, developing complex flavors.
- Prepare silky bechamel sauce by carefully melting butter, whisking in flour, gradually adding milk, and stirring until sauce thickens and smooth, then incorporate grated cheese.
- Briefly blanch pasta sheets in boiling water, then immediately cool in ice water to prevent overcooking and maintain ideal texture.
- Construct lasagne by alternating layers of rich meat ragu, delicate pasta sheets, and creamy bechamel, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Crown the final layer with additional grated cheese for a golden, crispy topping.
- Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes until bubbling and beautifully browned.
- Allow lasagne to rest for 15 minutes before slicing, enabling layers to set and flavors to meld harmoniously.
Notes
- Choose high-quality, lean beef mince for a rich, deep flavor that elevates the entire dish.
- Work in batches when browning meat to ensure proper caramelization and prevent steaming instead of searing.
- Let the ragu simmer slowly to develop complex, intense flavors and tenderize the meat completely.
- Make fresh pasta sheets if possible, as they provide a more delicate and authentic texture compared to dried pasta.
- Allow the lasagne to rest for 15-20 minutes after baking, which helps set the layers and makes cleaner, neater slices.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute wheat pasta with gluten-free lasagne sheets and use cornstarch instead of flour in bechamel.
- Enhance the ragu’s depth by adding a splash of milk while simmering, which softens the meat and balances acidity.
- Prep Time: 1 hr 20 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 663 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 362 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 142 mg