Italian Lasagna

Description

Lasagna is a layered dish that is baked in the oven. Typical layers include lasagna pasta, a meat sauce (such as ragu or bolognese), bechamel sauce, and cheese. It’s a comforting dish and perfect for sharing at family gatherings or special dinners.

Ingredients
For a classic lasagna for 6-8 people, you will need:

  • 12 lasagna pasta sheets
  • 500 g ground beef (beef or a mix of beef and pork)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 800 g crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine (optional)
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 500 ml milk
  • 50 g butter
  • 50 g flour
  • 100 g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 200 g grated mozzarella cheese
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Italian herbs (basil, oregano) to taste

Preparation

Prepare the meat sauce:

  • In a large frying pan, heat a Add a little olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, carrot and celery until tender.
  • Add the ground beef and cook until golden.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and red wine, and cook until the wine has evaporated.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and Italian herbs. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the bechamel sauce:

  • In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.
  • Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the lasagna:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • In a baking dish, place a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom.
  • Place a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce.
  • Add a layer of meat sauce, followed by a layer of bechamel sauce and a layer of mozzarella cheese.
  • Repeat the layers until all ingredients have been used, finishing with a layer of bechamel sauce and grated parmesan cheese on top.

Bake:

  • Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Rest and serve:

  • Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.