Lasagne Bolognese

prep time:: 30 minutes
cook time:: 45 Minutes
total time:: about 4 hours

Serves 6

This is the Martha Stewart Lasagne recipe, and while it ends up being an all day affair, it’s just about the nicest thing you can do for another human being.

ingredients

For the Bolognese Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 to 2 carrots, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
8 ounces ground pork
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 can (28 ounces) peeled plum tomatoes with juice, pureed

For the Lasagne:

Box of Lasagne noodles (Barilla)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for baking dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for baking dish

directions

Make the Bolognese:

1
1. Melt butter in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrots, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add beef, pork, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a fork, until meat has cooked through but not browned, about 8 minutes.
2
2. Add milk and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until liquid reduces by half and meat is above liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Add wine, and simmer gently until liquid reduces by half, about 15 minutes.
3
3. Add stock, pureed tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Season with pepper. Let cool slightly.

Make the Bechamel:

In a small saucepan, combine butter and flour. Stir in nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Place over medium heat and stir in milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Assemble the Lasagne:

1
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta. Drain, and rinse under cold running water. Lay sheets out on a clean kitchen towel, and set aside until ready to use. Be sure not to let them stand for more than 30 minutes.
3
3. To assemble: Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon a little of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and spread to coat. Then, layer with lasagna sheets, one-sixth of the bechamel sauce, one-sixth of the meat sauce, and a little Parmesan. Repeat the layers five more times. Top with remaining Parmesan and pieces of butter.
4
Bake until cheese begins to turn golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.