Kagas Lasagna

MMMM. It tastes even better!

[edit] Background

Recipe credit goes to Mario Batali - this is the best lasagna I have ever tasted, and I just happen to make it myself! It is a bit different than the traditional lasagna, as it is Lasagna Bolognese, but that makes it stand apart! It takes a long time to make but once you make it a few times it's very easy to remember, and the people eating it will pester you to make it again.

This is one of my "go-to" recipes and it never fails me.

If you have the time i suggest to make the noodles fresh. It really adds a lot to the dish and brings it up a notch. I usually make someone else do the noodles while the ragu is simmering. There's nothing wrong with dried noodles really, and making fresh ones is hard (i fuck up all the time), so make sure you get a backup box of lasagna noodles just in case.

Submitted by Kaga

[edit] Let's Cook

[edit] Ingredients

[edit] Ragu:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 pound veal, ground
• 1 pound pork, ground
• 4 ounces pancetta, ground
• 1 8-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

[edit] Béchamel:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

[edit] Lasagna:

3/4 to 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, about 7 by 4 inches, or dried lasagne noodles blanched for 6 minutes and refreshed 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Oil for brushing

[edit] Directions

[edit] Ragù

1. In a large heavy-bottom saucepan (a cast iron ceramic dutch oven is what I use for this and it works perfect), heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and sweat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are translucent.
2. Add veal, pork, and pancetta to the vegetables, and brown over high heat, stirring to keep the meat from sticking together. This is by far the hardest part of the recipe as it requires a massive amount of heat to brown that much cold meat. I suggest doing it in small batches to not overcrowd the pan on our wimpy ranges!
3. Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, thyme, and 1 cup water, and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours (if the ragù becomes too thick, add a little more water).
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from heat (this can me made in advance and saved for a day or two. Also at this point if you're lazy you can just dump some pasta in water and have pasta with amazing meat sauce!)

[edit] Béchamel:

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour, and whisk until smooth.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. This happens fast so don't look away.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until it is just about to boil. Add the milk to the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until the sauce is very smooth.
4. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat and season with salt and nutmeg.

[edit] Assembly:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with melted butter or oil, and layer in the following order from the bottom: ragù, pasta, béchamel, and grated cheese (saving about 1 cup béchamel for last topping), making 3 to 4 layers of pasta, finishing with ragù, béchamel, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled over the top.
3. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling. If your oven is dumb like mine you might need a few extra minutes to get that amazing golden brown crust. It's worth the wait.
4. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve. Resting is really important as it will fall completely apart if you skip this step.

[edit] Important Notes

• Make your girlfriend make the pasta ;). Here's a basic homemade pasta recipe: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15136598/

[edit] User Experiences

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