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Bolognese Lasagna
ItalianaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Bolognese Lasagna

In Emilia-Romagna, a Bolognese lasagna is built with patience: thick ragù, silky béchamel, and thin layers that embrace each other in the oven. I’m Matteo, and here, there are no creams or shortcuts masquerading as tradition; flavor comes from properly browning the meat, sweating the vegetables, and allowing the tomato to concentrate slowly. This version works at home because it respects the spirit of ragù alla bolognese, but uses oven-ready sheets and a sauce with just the right moisture. The result is a family-friendly Bolognese lasagna, firm when cut, juicy in the center, and with that golden edge everyone fights over.

ByChef Matteo🇮🇹 IT · Cocina italiana
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Matteo with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

35 min

Cook

135 min

Total

170 min

Yield

6 servings

Origin

IT · Cocina italiana

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Ingredients

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  • Olive oil· for sautéing2 tbsp
  • White onion· finely chopped1 piece
  • Carrot· finely chopped1 piece
  • Celery· finely chopped stalk1 piece
  • pancetta· diced small80 g
  • Ground beef· preferably 80/20350 g
  • Ground pork· for a juicier ragù200 g
  • dry white wine· for deglazing120 ml
  • Tomato purée· without added sugar500 ml
  • Whole milk· 100 ml for the ragù and 600 ml for the béchamel700 ml
  • Butter· without salt50 g
  • Wheat flour· for the béchamel50 g
  • Nutmeg· freshly grated if possibleto taste
  • lasagna sheets· oven-ready250 g
  • Parmesan cheese· finely grated90 g
  • Salt· to adjust the ragù and béchamelto taste

Method

  1. 01

    Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, around 160°C. Add the white onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta; sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables look shiny and the pancetta starts releasing fat without burning.

  2. 02

    Add the ground beef and ground pork. Season with salt and cook for 10-12 minutes over medium-high heat, breaking up the lumps with a spoon, until the meat loses its pink color and begins to brown at the bottom.

  3. 03

    Pour in the dry white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Boil for 3-4 minutes, until the alcoholic smell disappears and the liquid reduces almost completely.

  4. 04

    Incorporate the tomato purée and 100 ml of whole milk. Lower the heat, partially cover, and cook the ragù for 90 minutes over a very gentle simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until it is thick, shiny, and the pork is cooked through, very tender, and completely done.

  5. 05

    Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel: melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, around 150°C. Add the wheat flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking, until forming an ivory-colored paste with a cookie aroma, without allowing it to brown.

  6. 06

    Gradually add the remaining 600 ml of whole milk, whisking constantly. Cook for 7-9 minutes on medium heat, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon; season with salt and nutmeg.

  7. 07

    Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a 23 x 33 cm baking dish, spread a thin layer of ragù, cover with lasagna sheets, add more ragù, béchamel, and a bit of Parmesan cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, finishing with béchamel and Parmesan.

  8. 08

    Bake the lasagna at 180°C for 35-40 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and the top is golden with toasted spots. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil in the last minutes.

  9. 09

    Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve firm portions, with visible layers and still juicy ragù.

Chef tips

  • If you can't find pancetta, use mild smoked bacon, but in smaller amounts so it doesn't overpower the ragù.
  • Do not assemble the lasagna with watery ragù: it should be thick and leave a track when the spoon is drawn through it.
  • For a clean cut, respect the resting time of 15 minutes; freshly out of the oven, it falls apart.
  • It keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator, well covered; reheat at 170°C for 15-20 minutes.
  • You can assemble it a day in advance and bake it cold, adding 10 minutes to the oven time.

Classifications

Italianaeverydaydinnerall year

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