LASAGNA ALLA BOLOGNESE
What can we make with the ragù we learned to cook last week??
A real, simple, and perfect Lasagna alla Bolognese!
I can honestly say that lasagna is actually a pretty easy dish to make, but the Italian-American version isn’t the authentic Italian one - it’s Italian-American.
Let’s take a look at how to make the classic Italian version!
First of all, it’s important to know that lasagna is assembled with just a few ingredients: ragù, béchamel sauce, and lasagna noodles.
We already learned how to make the ragù, so now let’s see how the béchamel sauce is made!
Classic Béchamel Sauce (Italian Style)
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter (vegan butter or olive oil for vegan version)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (preferably warm) (soy milk unsweetened for vegan version)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional, but traditional)
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Once the butter is fully melted, add the flour and whisk continuously to form a smooth paste (this is called a roux).
Cook the roux for about 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly, without letting it brown.
Slowly pour in the warm milk, continuing to whisk to avoid lumps.
Keep stirring over medium heat until the sauce thickens—this should take about 5–7 minutes.
Add a pinch of salt and a little ground nutmeg, if you choose to add it.
Keep stirring.
Your béchamel is ready when it coats the back of the spoon smoothly.
How to Assemble a Classic Lasagna alla Bolognese
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Start layering in a baking dish (around 9x13 inches is ideal):
Spread one spoonful of béchamel and one spoonful of ragù on the bottom to keep the pasta from sticking.
Add the first layer of lasagna noodles.
Spread a layer of ragù over the noodles.
Add a layer of béchamel sauce on top of the ragù.
Sprinkle with Parmigiano (nutritional yeast for vegan version).
Repeat the layers (pasta → ragù → béchamel → Parmigiano) until you reach the top of the dish or run out of ingredients.
Finish with a layer of béchamel and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano
Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the layers set.
ENJOY!
Buon appetito!
