Name: Lasagna (The Best)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 ½ tsp pickling spice; ½ tsp fennel seeds; ¼ tsp red pepper flakes; ¾ lb (340 g) lean ground pork; ¾ lb (340 g) lean ground beef; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil; 2 onions, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 cans (28 oz/796 ml each) whole plum tomatoes; 1 tsp dried oregano; 3 tbsp butter; ¼ cup (40 g) unbleached all-purpose flour; 2 ½ cups (625 ml) milk; ½ cup (35 g) fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 12 lasagna noodles; 4 cups (400 g) caciocavallo or mozzarella cheese, grated; 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped

Preparation

Meat Sauce
- Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, blend the spices into a powder.
- In a large pot over high heat, cook the pork and beef with the ground spices in the oil, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano. Using a potato masher, purée the tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has reduced by one-quarter. Adjust the seasoning.
Béchamel Sauce
- Meanwhile, in a pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute while whisking. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
Lasagna
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until very al dente. Drain. Coat the noodles in oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp dishcloth or plastic wrap.
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Assembly
- Cover the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking dish with ½ cup (125 ml) of the hot meat sauce. Cover with a layer of noodles, 2 cups (500 ml) of the meat sauce and ⅔ cup (150 ml) of the béchamel. Sprinkle with ⅔ cup (65 g) of the grated cheese. Repeat layering in the remaining noodles, meat sauce and béchamel, finishing off with the remaining grated cheese (you can freeze the lasagna at this stage, without the cheese, if desired). Place the dish on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the herbs. Sprinkle over the lasagna. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Lasagna (The Best)

Categories

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

Béchamel Sauce

Lasagna

Preparation

Meat Sauce

Béchamel Sauce

Lasagna

Assembly

Personal Note