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Recipe - Lasagna

September 27, 2021

This cheesy, flavorful lasagna is a favorite in my home and a go-to recipe for dinner.

Bolognese Sauce

Sauce:

2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
1 diced onion
6 cloves of diced garlic
4 cups diced mushrooms
1 package ground pork
1 package lean ground beef
2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
2 large cans of strained tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Seasoning:

2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp garlic powder

Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to a large heated pot with extra virgin olive oil – let cook down on low until veggies are very soft. Add mushrooms and cook down. Add salt and pepper to taste. Approx. 30 minutes total.

Add the ground pork and ground beef to the pot. Brown lightly in the veggie mixture (you don't need to cook it through), then add the seasoning.

Add the crushed and strained tomatoes to the pot. If you have fresh tomatoes you can throw those in as well. Allow to simmer on the cooktop at very low heat stirring occasionally for a few hours; this will really develop the flavours of the sauce. While this simmers, you can move on to the béchamel sauce.

Once the meat is cooked through, give it a taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Let sauce cool slightly before assembling the lasagna.

Béchamel Sauce

7 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk (heated through)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Ground pepper to taste

Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat, then add flour, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, for approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Do not let the roux brown or burn.

Whisking constantly, add in 2 tablespoons of the hot milk to the sauce pan and combine.

Slowly add in the remaining hot milk, whisking constantly until a smooth paste forms.

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. Cook until sauce is thick and creamy. Approx. 10 minutes.

Let sauce cool before assembling lasagna.

Lasagna

Time to build the lasagna! Preheat oven to 375°F

If you are using ready-made noodles. Set them out in the bottom of your lidded casserole dish and pour boiling water over top of them so they are covered. Cover with lid for approximately 5 minutes; this will soften the noodles but not cook them through. Lay them out on a parchment paper cookie sheet.

Begin assembling the lasagna; oil your pan and start with a layer of bolognese sauce. Layer the lasagna noodles on top and alternate between the béchamel sauce, noodles, and bolognese sauce until you get the desired number of layers. Top Lasagna with a mix of Italian cheese; I used parmesan, mozzarella, provolone and gouda (I also sprinkle a bit of cheese on the middle layer).

Cover lasagna and bake for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered. Let lasagna stand for approximately 10 minutes to cool before cutting into it.

Serve your lasagna with some salad and fresh bread.