A recipe from Gemo

Lasagna alla Bolognese

Name: Lasagna alla Bolognese
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive Oil (for rag?; butter can enrich); 150 g Bacon (finely diced; mild bacon if needed); 80 g Onion (Finely chopped.); 80 g Carrot (Finely chopped.); 80 g Celery (finely chopped tender stalks); 450 g Ground Beef (Choose mince with some fat, not extra-lean beef.); 120 ml Dry White Wine (dry; broth if avoiding alcohol); 350 g Tomato Sauce (passata or crushed canned tomatoes; not ketchup); 300 ml Water (add as needed; unsalted stock works); 920 ml Milk (120 ml added near the end of the ragù | 800 ml warm before whisking into roux); 2 tsp Salt (for rag?, b?chamel, and pasta water); 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground if possible.); 90 g Butter (for b?chamel, greasing, and topping); 70 g Flour (Plain wheat flour for the béchamel roux.); 0.25 tsp Nutmeg (freshly grated if available); 300 g Lasagna Sheets (spinach egg sheets ideal; plain sheets work); 150 g Cheese (Parmesan) (finely grated; Grana Padano works)

გემო (ოფიციალური გვერდი)Chef

210 minHard6 servings

A classic Emilia-Romagna baked pasta built around slow-cooked ragù alla bolognese, creamy béchamel, thin lasagna sheets, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. This practical home version keeps the Bolognese identity clear: it is not a tomato-heavy meat-and-cheese casserole, and it uses béchamel rather than ricotta.

Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbspOlive Oilfor rag?; butter can enrich
150 gBaconfinely diced; mild bacon if needed
80 gOnionFinely chopped.
80 gCarrotFinely chopped.
80 gCeleryfinely chopped tender stalks
450 gGround BeefChoose mince with some fat, not extra-lean beef.
120 mlDry White Winedry; broth if avoiding alcohol
350 gTomato Saucepassata or crushed canned tomatoes; not ketchup
300 mlWateradd as needed; unsalted stock works
920 mlMilk120 ml added near the end of the ragù | 800 ml warm before whisking into roux
2 tspSaltfor rag?, b?chamel, and pasta water
0.5 tspBlack PepperFreshly ground if possible.
90 gButterfor b?chamel, greasing, and topping
70 gFlourPlain wheat flour for the béchamel roux.
0.25 tspNutmegfreshly grated if available
300 gLasagna Sheetsspinach egg sheets ideal; plain sheets work
150 gCheese (Parmesan)finely grated; Grana Padano works

Method

01
Start the ragù in a heavy pot. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, add 150 g finely diced pork belly or pancetta, and cook until the fat begins to render. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a small pinch of salt, then cook gently until the vegetables soften without browning hard.
⏱ 12 min
02
Add 450 g beef mince and break it up well. Cook until the meat loses its raw color and the liquid in the pot has mostly evaporated, then pour in 120 ml wine and simmer until the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off.
⏱ 12 min
03
Stir in 350 g tomato passata and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Cook the ragù gently, partly covered, until thick and savory, adding small splashes from the 300 ml water only when it looks dry. Stir in 120 ml milk near the end, then season with salt and black pepper. The finished ragù should be moist but not soupy.
⏱ 120 min
04
Make the béchamel while the ragù finishes. Melt 70 g butter in a saucepan, whisk in 70 g flour, and cook the roux for a couple of minutes without letting it darken. Gradually whisk in 800 ml warm milk, then simmer until smooth and lightly thickened. Season with salt and nutmeg.
⏱ 10 min
05
Heat the oven to 170 C. Prepare the lasagna sheets according to their type: fresh sheets may need a brief dip in salted boiling water, while dried sheets should be par-cooked only if the package requires it. Lay cooked sheets on a clean towel so they do not stick together.
06
Butter a deep baking dish about 30 x 20 cm. Spread a thin spoonful of ragù and béchamel over the bottom, add a layer of pasta, then continue with béchamel, ragù, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layers until the pasta and sauces are used, keeping the layers even and avoiding an overloaded wet center.
07
Finish with pasta, a thin coating of ragù and béchamel, the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, and small dots of butter. Bake at 170 C until the lasagna is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly browned.
⏱ 35 min
08
Let the lasagna rest before slicing so the layers settle and the béchamel firms slightly. Serve warm, cutting clean portions rather than spooning it out like a loose casserole.
⏱ 10 min