Lasagna Bolognese, Simplified

By

Published September 1, 2004.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
When we started thinking about a simple lasagna Bolognese recipe, there was no denying the appeal of no-boil noodles. After several tests, we found that a five-minute soak proved most effective for getting sturdy, al dente noodles that bound together the layers of ragu and béchamel without soaking up all the moisture. Stumbling through multiple rounds of meat sauce testing gave us the idea of combining the ragu and béchamel when both were lukewarm. The resulting sauce was thickened but easy to spread, with enough moisture for cooking the noodles in our simplified lasagna recipe.

For assembly, both the meat sauce and the bechamel should be just warm to the touch, not piping hot. Both sauces can be made, cooled, and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead, then gently reheated until warm. In terms of flavor and texture, we find that Barilla no-boil noodles are the closest to fresh, but this recipe will work with all major brands of no-boil noodles.

View complete recipe

  • 8

Ingredients

  • Meat Sauce (Ragù)
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 medium rib celery, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces ground beef, preferably 90 percent lean
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 8 ounces ground veal
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Béchamel
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  • Noodles and Cheese
  • 15 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles (9 ounces)
  • 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (2 cups)

Preparation

Step 1

1. For the meat sauce: Process carrot, celery, and onion in food processor until finely chopped, about ten 1-second pulses, scraping down bowl as necessary; transfer mixture to small bowl. Wipe out food processor workbowl; process tomatoes and juice until finely chopped, six to eight 1-second pulses. Heat butter in heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming; add carrot, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add ground meats and cook, breaking meat into 1-inch pieces with wooden spoon, about 1 minute. Add milk and stir, breaking meat into 1/2-inch bits; bring to simmer and cook, stirring to break meat into small pieces, until almost all liquid has evaporated, 20 to 30 minutes. Using potato masher or wooden spoon, break up any remaining clumps of meat (no large pieces should remain). Add wine and bring to simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until combined, about 1 minute; add chopped tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. (You should have about 6 cups meat sauce.) Transfer meat sauce to bowl and cool until just warm to touch, about 30 minutes.
2. For the béchamel: While meat sauce simmers, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming; add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 1 1/2 minutes; mixture should not brown. Gradually whisk in milk; increase heat to medium-high and bring to full boil, whisking frequently. Add salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, making sure to scrape bottom and corners of saucepan. (You should have about 3 1/3 cups.) Transfer béchamel to bowl and cool until just warm to touch, about 30 minutes.
3. To assemble and bake: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Place noodles in 13- by 9-inch baking dish and cover with very hot tap water; soak 5 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water, place in single layer on kitchen towel, and pat dry. Wipe out baking dish and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Stir béchamel to recombine; mix 3/4 cup warm béchamel into warm meat sauce until thoroughly combined.
4. Distribute 1 cup béchamel-enriched meat sauce in baking dish. Place three noodles in single layer on top of sauce, arranging them close together, but not touching, at center of pan. Spread 1 1/4 cups béchamel-enriched meat sauce evenly over noodles, spreading sauce to edge of noodles but not to edge of dish (see illustration 1). Drizzle 1/3 cup béchamel evenly over meat sauce (illustration 2). Sprinkle 1/3 cup Parmesan evenly over béchamel. Repeat layering of noodles, béchamel-enriched meat sauce, bechamel, and cheese 3 more times. Place final 3 noodles on top and cover completely with remaining béchamel, spreading béchamel with rubber spatula and allowing it to spill over noodles (illustration 3). Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan.
5. Spray large sheet foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna; bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove foil, increase heat to 450 degrees, and continue to bake until surface is spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.

STEP-BY-STEP

ASSEMBLING THE LASAGNA


1. Cover noodles with 1 1/4 cups of ragu, spreading sauce to edge of noodles but not edge of pan.

2. Drizzle 1/3 cup of bechamel evenly over ragu.

3. Cover top layer of noodles with remaining bechamel, spreading sauce to completely cover noodles.

View complete recipe