Lasagna Bolognese For Two Recipes

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN LASAGNA BOLOGNESE RECIPE | LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• First cut the carrot, celery and onion in very tiny pieces and set aside. Then cut the pancetta as finely as possible with a sharp knife or a food processor. Now place the minced pancetta in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time.
• Add the extra virgin olive oil and the finely chopped vegetables. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Then add the ground beef.
• Stir and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Now put the heat on high and add the white wine. Stir and let it evaporate.
• Finally add the tomato passata. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, adding broth when needed. Towards the end, add the milk to dampen the acidity of the tomato. Season with salt and pepper. Bolognese Sauce is ready when you can see an oily, creamy sauce on the surface.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat then add the flour - using a flour sieve - while mixing QUICKLY with a whisk. Cook for 30 sec/1 min stirring, so the flour becomes tastier and absorb the butter fats. The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color. Now set aside and let it cool. Meanwhile heat the milk, without bringing to a boil.
• Pour the milk slowly over the roux, while stirring vigorously with a whisk to prevent the formation of lumps. When the milk is completely poured over the roux sauce, put the saucepan back on low heat. Keep mixing constantly, until you have a fairly thick consistency (about 10/15 minutes). The sauce is ready when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Finally, add a pinch of fine salt and grated nutmeg to taste.
• Spread on the bottom of a baking dish two tablespoons of bechamel. Then put lasagna noodles over it, trying to cover the entire bottom of the pan. If one lasagna is not enough for you, use another one, whole or in half, depending on the size of the lasagna. Layer on two tablespoons of bolognese sauce and two of bechamel sauce.
• With the help of a tablespoon, cover the entire surface of the lasagna. In the end, sprinkle two tablespoons of grated Parmigiano. Repeat these steps for at least five layers (lasagna - bolognese sauce - bèchamel - parmigiano -repeat), in any case up to fill your baking dish.
• Finish by covering the last layer with plenty of Parmigiano cheese, that cooking make a crispy crust. Bake at 190° (380 F) for about 30 minutes.Let cool Lasagna Bolognese out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the Bolognese: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the meatball mix with a teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and has started to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the milk, increase the heat to cook down the milk a bit, then add the allspice and tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until creamy and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the Mornay sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until a wet sand consistency is formed and smells lightly toasted. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly until thickened and there is no longer a flour taste, about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan, nutmeg and a few grinds of pepper and whisk until melted and smooth. Season with salt. Remove from the heat until ready to use. (If a film forms on top, whisk vigorously to incorporate it back into the sauce.)
• To build the lasagna: Add about 1/4 cup of the Bolognese sauce to a 6-inch oven-safe skillet. Layer 3 lasagna noodle halves on the bottom of the skillet and top with about 1/2 cup of sauce. Repeat until all the noodles have been used. Spoon a final layer sauce on top, then pour over the Mornay sauce being sure to leave a border around the edges. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the noodles are softened and the Mornay sauce is slightly puffed and turning a golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

PERFECT LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook and stir until browned, about 8 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in beef and pork. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until evenly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Pour white wine into the Dutch oven; cook until alcohol evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer Bolognese sauce, stirring occasionally and skimming fat off the surface, about 3 1/2 hours. Stir in beef broth, 1/4 cup at a time, if sauce looks dry.
• Stir heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk into the Bolognese sauce; mix well. Cover and cook over very low heat until flavors combine, about 30 minutes.
• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until a smooth paste forms; cook and stir until paste turns a golden sandy color, about 7 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk 4 cups milk into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally until bechamel sauce is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg; discard bay leaf.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Spread 1/4 cup bechamel sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with 1 lasagna sheet; prick in several places with a paring knife. Spread 1/2 cup bechamel sauce and 1/2 cup Bolognese sauce on top. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top.
• Repeat layers 7 times with remaining lasagna sheets, bechamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake lasagna in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until cheese is browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool before serving, about 15 minutes.

BOLOGNESE LASAGNE

Steps:

• For the Bolognese ragu: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Smear 1 tablespoon butter in an even layer over the bottom and sides of a Dutch oven. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, render the bacon until cooked through but not crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and melt over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery, carrots and onion and saute until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the Dutch oven.
• Add the oil to the skillet and add the beef. Cook the meat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until uniformly brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the beef and bacon to the Dutch oven and pour in the chicken stock, wine and tomato puree. Transfer to the oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours.
• If there is a large amount of fat on top of the sauce, skim it off with a large spoon. Stir in the cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.
• For the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking for a minute. Add the milk and cream and cook, whisking, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (The process goes more quickly if you warm the milk and cream beforehand.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, add the fontina and nutmeg and whisk to combine.
• For the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish along the bottom and sides.
• Spread a thin layer of the ragu sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and top with a single layer of noodles. Top with another layer of the ragu sauce. Spoon a thin layer of the cheese sauce over the ragu in the baking dish. Top with a second layer of noodles and continue layering with the ragu, cheese sauce and noodles until you've finished the noodles and reached the top. Finish with a last layer of ragu and cheese sauce and top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• For Nonna's bolognese sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, then add the carrots, celery, garlic and shallots. Continue to saute until the beef is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess fat and then add the wine. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a medium simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and let cool for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For Nonna's signature ricotta: Put the ricotta, cream, garlic, shallots, dried basil, oregano, and chile flakes in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine until there are no lumps. Season with salt. Set aside.
• For the lasagna bolognese: Prepare a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish by coating the bottom with 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce, spreading it out evenly. Arrange a layer of the lasagna noodles to completely cover the sauce. Add a third of the ricotta mix and spread evenly. Add a quarter of the cooled bolognese sauce and spread evenly. Repeat this process layering two more layers of lasagna sheets, ricotta mix and bolognese sauce for a total of three layers.
• After finishing the third layer of sauce, arrange a fourth layer of lasagna sheets on top and cover it with the remaining 1/2 cup marinara. Then sprinkle with the Parmesan and lightly cover the entire top with the Italian cheese blend. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil.
• Place the lasagna on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and plastic wrap and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Let set 10 minutes before serving.
• To serve: Cut into 6 servings and top each serving with the remaining bolognese sauce, Parmesan, Italian cheese blend and fresh basil.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Make the ragu: Soak the porcini mushrooms in 2 cups hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid.
• Finely chop the porcini and white mushrooms in a food processor; transfer to a bowl. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, parsley and prosciutto to the processor; pulse until finely chopped.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook the ground beef and pork in batches, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Add the wine to the pot, scraping up the browned bits. Add the liquid to the bowl with the meat.
• Melt the butter in the pot; add the onion, chopped carrot mixture, the rosemary, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mushrooms and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes.
• Return the meat mixture to the pot. Add the cognac and scrape up the browned bits. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Crush the tomatoes with your hands over the pot and add with their juices. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 hours, 30 minutes. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, whisking, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking, 10 more minutes.
• Assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a few inches of salted water to a boil in a wide saucepan. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Line a baking sheet with a damp kitchen towel. Working in batches, boil the pasta until partially cooked, about 4 minutes, then remove with a skimmer and transfer to the ice water to cool. Remove the pasta sheets, shake off the excess water and arrange in a single layer on the towel. Cover the pasta with another damp towel.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a deep 11-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter. Spread 1/2 cup ragu in the pan. Cover with a layer of pasta, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup parmesan and 2/3 cup mozzarella. Spread 1 1/2 cups ragu over the cheese and top with 1 cup bechamel. Repeat with 3 more layers each of pasta, parmesan, mozzarella, ragu and bechamel. Top with a layer of pasta, then cover with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Tuck the edges of the pasta into the baking dish with a knife.
• Place the lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any drips; bake until bubbly and golden, about 40 minutes. Let rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

SMALLER LASAGNA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook noodles and drain.
• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet for a few minutes then add ground beef, oregano, basil salt and pepper and cook until beef is browned, breaking up any clumped meat. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, making sure sauce doesn't get too thick.
• In a small bowl, whisk together a lightly beaten egg with ricotta and parmesan.
• In the bottom of a loaf pan, place about 1 cup meat sauce across the bottom. Top with two noodles, then top with half of the remaining meat sauce mixture. Top with another two noodles and the ricotta mixture. Top with the last two noodles and the remaining sauce. Layer mozzarella slices across the top.
• Loosely tent pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake another ten minutes, allowing cheese to brown.
• Let sit for about 10-15 minutes before you cut into it.