Lasagna alla Bolognese

This lasagna recipe is made with slow-cooked bolognese sauce, homemade besciamella, and fresh pasta sheets. An authentic and beyond-delicious Italian dish to serve for a crowd.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 recipe homemade spinach pasta sheets (read notes)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2/3 cup pancetta or bacon (diced)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato passata sauce
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 Tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 2 cups parmigiano cheese (freshly grated)
• 2/3 cup soffritto (chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic)
• 1 recipe besciamella sauce (read notes)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the bolognese sauce ---
2. 2Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, then add in the soffritto and cook for 5-6 minutes.
3. 3Mix in the ground meats, cooking for approximately 10 minutes or until the meat loses its pink color and releases its juices entirely.
4. 4Pour in the wine and continue cooking until it completely evaporates.
5. 5Add the tomato passata and tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper. Mix in and cook for 1 minute, then pour 3-4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil.
6. 6Cover the pot loosely and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 hours, checking from time to time if more water is needed.
7. 7After 2 hours, remove the lid from the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens and develops a rich consistency.
8. 8Adjust salt to taste and turn off the heat. Set aside and allow to slightly cool down.
9. 9--- Assemble ---
10. 10Bring to a boil a pot with salted water and cook lightly the lasagna sheets, 30s would be enough if they’re made with fresh pasta dough, otherwise, follow the package instructions if you’re using dry pasta.
11. 11Butter your lasagna pan and spread one or two tablespoons of bechamel sauce on the bottom.
12. 12Arrange a layer of pasta sheets and then cover them with a layer of ragu sauce.
13. 13Add a few dollops of besciamella sauce and carefully spread them all over with the back of a spoon. Finish with a good sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
14. 14Continue layering the pasta, ragu sauce, besciamella, and cheese until the pan is filled to the top.
15. 15Finish with a generous layer of besciamella sauce and a good sprinkle of parmigiano cheese.
16. 16--- Bake ---
17. 17Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C).
18. 18Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce on top is slightly golden and the borders of the lasagna pasta are nicely crispy.
19. 19Remove from the oven and let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.