Spinach egg-pasta sheets layered with slow-cooked ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano Reggiano.
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Let’s make it Warm the olive oil in a heavy casserole and cook the pancetta over medium-low heat until its fat renders, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently for 10 minutes until softened without browning. Raise the heat, add the beef and break it up with a spoon. Brown for about 10 minutes until the moisture has evaporated. Pour in the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Stir in the tomato paste, then the passata and enough hot stock to keep the meat moist. Simmer very gently, partly covered, for about 2½ hours. Stir occasionally and add small splashes of stock whenever the sauce becomes dry. Stir in the ragù milk halfway through the simmer and let it cook into the sauce. Finish with salt and pepper; the ragù should be thick and moist. While the ragù simmers, melt the béchamel butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without colouring. Gradually whisk in the béchamel milk until smooth. Bring the béchamel to a gentle simmer, stirring, and cook for 8–10 minutes until it coats a spoon but remains pourable. Add the nutmeg and a little of the seasoning to taste. Briefly blanch the pasta sheets in boiling water, a few at a time, for 30–60 seconds. Lift into cold water, then lay on clean tea towels without overlapping. Heat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Butter a deep 30 by 20 cm baking dish. Spread a little ragù and béchamel across the base. Add a layer of pasta, then thin layers of ragù, béchamel and grated cheese. Repeat until the filling is used, finishing with béchamel and cheese over the last pasta layer. Bake for 35–40 minutes until bubbling throughout and golden on top. Rest for 20 minutes before cutting into six portions. 0 of 12 steps done Reset steps
Thin spinach egg-pasta sheets, slow-cooked ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano Reggiano make distinct, tender layers. Keep the ragù concentrated and the béchamel pourable so the pasta cooks evenly.
Finish with béchamel and cheese for a golden surface. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before cutting; the layers settle and hold together more neatly.
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