Bolognese Lasagna

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 small italian spicy sausage, casing removed
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 small carrots, finely diced
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes with juice, chopped
• coarse salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh basil, washed, stemmed, and chopped
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 cups milk
• freshly grated nutmeg
• coarse salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• oil, for baking dish
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• coarse salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

Recipe

• 1 pasta: in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment add flour and salt to the mixing bowl.
• 2 with mixer on low speed, add 1 egg at a time until incorporated.
• 3 continue to mix for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough starts to come together.
• 4 remove dough from mixer and knead to form a ball.
• 5 cover and let rest for 1 hour.
• 6 roll out pasta.
• 7 cut dough into 12 pieces.
• 8 roll dough into thick sheets on the pasta machine, starting at the thickest setting, reducing pasta setting one mark each time you roll the dough through.
• 9 cook pasta in boiling salted water for about 4 minutes or until just al dente.
• 10 transfer to bowl with cold water to prevent sticking.
• 11 drain on towel.
• 12 bolognese sauce:in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat.
• 13 add the onion and saute 3 to 4 minutes or until soft.
• 14 add the beef and italian sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned.
• 15 add the garlic and carrots and saute for 3 minutes just to soften.
• 16 add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, oregano, tomatoes and salt and pepper and bring to boil.
• 17 reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 55 to 60 minutes or until sauce is thickened and flavour has developed to your liking.
• 18 add the fresh basil and adjust seasoning.
• 19 bechamel sauce: in a medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.
• 20 add the flour and stir with wooden spoon until a paste forms.
• 21 remove from heat and add the cold milk a little at a time while stirring well between each addition.
• 22 return to heat once all the milk is added and mixture is smooth.
• 23 continue stirring over medium heat until sauce comes to a boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.
• 24 add a pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 25 add the pecorino and parmesan cheese and stir.
• 26 assembly: preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 27 oil the bottom of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish.
• 28 reserve a quarter of the bechamel sauce for the top layer.
• 29 layer lasagna, starting with pasta and alternating bolognese sauce, grated cheese and bechamel sauce.
• 30 season well between each layer.
• 31 finish with a layer pasta, the reserved bechamel sauce and extra cheese on the top layer to finish (you should have 6 layers of lasagna).
• 32 bake lasagna in middle of oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.