Lasagne alla Bolognese
Leo Hartmann Demo- Makes
- 16 servings
- Active
- 2 h 42 min
- Total
- 5 h 30 min
You’ll Need heavy saucepan or casserole for the ragù, pasta machine or long rolling pin, stick blender or food processor, medium saucepan and whisk for the béchamel, baking dish (about 30 x 20 cm), large pot and slotted spoon, clean kitchen towels
Method
Ragù alla Bolognese
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Heat the in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the and spread it out with the back of a ladle. Let it brown for a few minutes, then add the , and and cook for , stirring.
pancetta fat has renderedvegetables are soft and glossy, not coloured[object Object]
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Add the , turn up the heat and break it up as it cooks. Let it brown slowly and thoroughly.
no pink leftmeat sizzles rather than stews and the pan bottom starts to colour[object Object]
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Pour in the and let it bubble until it has evaporated completely.
the sharp smell of alcohol is gone[object Object]
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Stir in the and bring back to a simmer. Once it bubbles again, add a ladle or two of the .
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Lower the heat to the gentlest simmer, set the lid ajar and cook for at least , stirring from time to time and adding more broth whenever it looks dry. Season with and at the end.
thick and glossy, the fat just starting to separate at the edgesno watery liquid pools when you drag a spoon throughSafe to pause here[object Object]
Spinach Egg Pasta
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Put the in a pan with a splash of water, cover and cook until completely wilted.
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Drain, let it cool, then squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands. Blend to a smooth purée; you should have about .
the purée is thick and holds its shape, not runny[object Object]
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Heap the and on a board and make a wide well in the middle. Put the spinach purée, the and the into the well.
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With a fork, beat the eggs and spinach together in the centre, drawing in flour from the inside wall a little at a time so the liquid never breaks out. When it gets too stiff for the fork, knead by hand.
evenly green with no streakssmooth, firm and no longer sticky[object Object]
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Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and rest it at room temperature for . Make the béchamel meanwhile.
21 °C[object Object]
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Cut off a piece of dough and keep the rest covered. Flatten it with a little , then pass it through the pasta machine, starting at the widest setting. Fold it and roll again a few times, then thin it notch by notch until it is about 0.5 mm (0.02 in), nearly see-through.
you can see the shadow of your hand through the sheet[object Object]
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Lay the sheets on the board and cut them into large rectangles about 30 cm (11 ¾ in) by 20 cm (7 ¾ in), to fit your dish. Repeat with the remaining dough.
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Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season it with . Cook the sheets one at a time for , lift them out with a slotted spoon and lay them side by side, not overlapping, on a cloth-lined tray. Pat dry.
100 °C[object Object]
Béchamel
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Warm the in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling.
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In another pan melt the , tip in the all at once and stir over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes.
the roux smells nutty and turns light golden[object Object]
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Pour in the hot milk in three additions, whisking well after each. Season with and and keep whisking over low heat until creamy.
coats the back of a spoonno lumps[object Object]
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Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface so no skin forms.
Safe to pause here
Assembly and Baking
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Heat the oven to 170 °C (no fan).
170 °C[object Object]
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Grease the dish with some of the , then spread a thin layer of béchamel and a thin layer of ragù over the bottom.
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Lay in a sheet of pasta, then add a layer of béchamel, a layer of ragù and a good scattering of . Repeat until you have five layers of pasta.
each layer of sauce is thin enough to see the pasta through in places[object Object]
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Cover the last sheet completely with ragù, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with small pieces of butter.
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Bake for .
170 °Cedges bubblingtop golden with darker crisp corners[object Object]
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Let the lasagne rest for before cutting so the layers set.
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From Leo Hartmann
This is the Emilian version, built on hand-rolled spinach egg pasta so thin it is almost see-through, rather than thick dried sheets. A ragù simmered for hours and a light béchamel go on in thin layers, so the finished lasagne is tall and tender but slices cleanly.
Notes
- Ragù time. The ragù needs at least two hours at a bare simmer and is even better after three or four. Add hot broth a ladle at a time whenever it looks dry; it should end thick, glossy and not watery.
- Spinach. Squeeze the cooked spinach as hard as you can before blending. Wet purée makes a sticky dough that needs much more flour.
- Rolling. Work one piece of dough at a time and keep the rest wrapped. Dust with semolina whenever the sheet feels damp. A pasta machine is easiest; a long rolling pin works with patience.
- No time for fresh pasta? Dried egg lasagne sheets will do. Use enough for five layers in your pan and cook them as the packet directs. The result is heavier but still very good.
- Thin layers are the secret: a lasagne drowning in sauce slumps when cut. Let it rest before slicing.
Storage
Keeps 3 days covered in the fridge. Reheat portions in a 160 C oven, covered with foil, until hot through. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead
Make the ragù up to 2 days ahead and the béchamel the day before (press plastic wrap onto its surface). The whole lasagne can be assembled a day ahead, chilled, and baked from cold with 10 to 15 extra minutes.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · Southern Europe › Italy › Emilia Romagna · Beef · Pasta · Baking · Pasta Making · Weekend Project · Lasagna. Tags: #crowd pleaser, #make-ahead, #sunday lunch.