Bologna, Emilia-Romagna
Lasagna alla bolognese
Homemade lasagna sheets with my favorite girl.
Makes
8
Level
Medium with a grown-up
Kids cook with a grown-up. Hot ovens, boiling water and frying are grown-up jobs, and sharp knives need a grown-up’s hands too.
Bella’s job
Bella mixes the eggs into the flour with a fork and holds up the ball of dough.
Ingredients
Ground beef: 1 pound
Ground pork: 1/2 pound
Onion, carrot and celery: 1 each, finely chopped
Olive oil: 3 tablespoons
Dry red wine: 1 cup
Crushed tomatoes: one 14 oz can
Parmigiano Reggiano rind: 1 piece (about 3 inches)
Flour for the pasta: 3 cups, plus more for rolling
Eggs for the pasta: 4 large
Butter: 4 tablespoons
Flour for the béchamel: 1/4 cup
Whole milk: 3 cups
Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon, freshly grated
Parmigiano Reggiano: 1 cup, grated
Salt: to taste
Method
Cook the onion, carrot and celery in the olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the beef and pork and brown until no pink is left.
Pour in the wine and let it cook down by half. Stir in the tomatoes, the cheese rind and a big pinch of salt.
Turn the heat to its lowest setting and simmer with the lid cracked for 4 to 5 hours, stirring now and then. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
Make the pasta: pile 3 cups of flour on the counter, make a well and crack in the eggs. Mix with a fork, then knead for 8 minutes until smooth. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out thin with a rolling pin and cut it into sheets that fit your baking dish.
Make the béchamel: melt the butter, whisk in 1/4 cup flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk a little at a time. Cook until thick, then add the nutmeg and a pinch of salt.
Boil the pasta sheets in salted water for 1 minute. Lay them on a clean towel.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of ragu in the dish, then add a sheet, more ragu, spoonfuls of béchamel and a sprinkle of Parmigiano.
Repeat the layers 4 or 5 times. Finish with béchamel and a good coat of Parmigiano.
Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until deep golden and bubbling, with crisp edges. A grown-up handles the hot dish.
Rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
