Lasagna Bolognese For Two Recipes

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN LASAGNA BOLOGNESE RECIPE | LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• First cut the carrot, celery and onion in very tiny pieces and set aside. Then cut the pancetta as finely as possible with a sharp knife or a food processor. Now place the minced pancetta in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time.
• Add the extra virgin olive oil and the finely chopped vegetables. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Then add the ground beef.
• Stir and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Now put the heat on high and add the white wine. Stir and let it evaporate.
• Finally add the tomato passata. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, adding broth when needed. Towards the end, add the milk to dampen the acidity of the tomato. Season with salt and pepper. Bolognese Sauce is ready when you can see an oily, creamy sauce on the surface.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat then add the flour - using a flour sieve - while mixing QUICKLY with a whisk. Cook for 30 sec/1 min stirring, so the flour becomes tastier and absorb the butter fats. The mixture of butter and flour is called roux and it should be a nice golden color. Now set aside and let it cool. Meanwhile heat the milk, without bringing to a boil.
• Pour the milk slowly over the roux, while stirring vigorously with a whisk to prevent the formation of lumps. When the milk is completely poured over the roux sauce, put the saucepan back on low heat. Keep mixing constantly, until you have a fairly thick consistency (about 10/15 minutes). The sauce is ready when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Finally, add a pinch of fine salt and grated nutmeg to taste.
• Spread on the bottom of a baking dish two tablespoons of bechamel. Then put lasagna noodles over it, trying to cover the entire bottom of the pan. If one lasagna is not enough for you, use another one, whole or in half, depending on the size of the lasagna. Layer on two tablespoons of bolognese sauce and two of bechamel sauce.
• With the help of a tablespoon, cover the entire surface of the lasagna. In the end, sprinkle two tablespoons of grated Parmigiano. Repeat these steps for at least five layers (lasagna - bolognese sauce - bèchamel - parmigiano -repeat), in any case up to fill your baking dish.
• Finish by covering the last layer with plenty of Parmigiano cheese, that cooking make a crispy crust. Bake at 190° (380 F) for about 30 minutes.Let cool Lasagna Bolognese out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

PERFECT LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook and stir until browned, about 8 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in beef and pork. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until evenly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Pour white wine into the Dutch oven; cook until alcohol evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer Bolognese sauce, stirring occasionally and skimming fat off the surface, about 3 1/2 hours. Stir in beef broth, 1/4 cup at a time, if sauce looks dry.
• Stir heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk into the Bolognese sauce; mix well. Cover and cook over very low heat until flavors combine, about 30 minutes.
• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until a smooth paste forms; cook and stir until paste turns a golden sandy color, about 7 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk 4 cups milk into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally until bechamel sauce is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg; discard bay leaf.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Spread 1/4 cup bechamel sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with 1 lasagna sheet; prick in several places with a paring knife. Spread 1/2 cup bechamel sauce and 1/2 cup Bolognese sauce on top. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top.
• Repeat layers 7 times with remaining lasagna sheets, bechamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake lasagna in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until cheese is browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool before serving, about 15 minutes.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the Bolognese: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the meatball mix with a teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and has started to crisp up, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the milk, increase the heat to cook down the milk a bit, then add the allspice and tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until creamy and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the Mornay sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until a wet sand consistency is formed and smells lightly toasted. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly until thickened and there is no longer a flour taste, about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan, nutmeg and a few grinds of pepper and whisk until melted and smooth. Season with salt. Remove from the heat until ready to use. (If a film forms on top, whisk vigorously to incorporate it back into the sauce.)
• To build the lasagna: Add about 1/4 cup of the Bolognese sauce to a 6-inch oven-safe skillet. Layer 3 lasagna noodle halves on the bottom of the skillet and top with about 1/2 cup of sauce. Repeat until all the noodles have been used. Spoon a final layer sauce on top, then pour over the Mornay sauce being sure to leave a border around the edges. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the noodles are softened and the Mornay sauce is slightly puffed and turning a golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Up to two days ahead
• Make the Bolognese sauce Pulse onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add ground beef, ground pork, pancetta, and vegetables; cook, breaking up ground meat with a spoon, until moisture is almost completely evaporated and meat is well browned, 25-30 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Add wine to pot and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until moisture is almost completely evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and 2 cups broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, adding water by 1/2-cupfuls if sauce looks dry, until flavors meld and sauce thickens, 2 1/2-3 hours.
• Let sauce cool, then cover and chill at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. (Letting the sauce sit will give it a deeper, richer flavor.)
• Up to one day ahead
• Make the fresh pasta dough Whisk salt and 3 cups flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and crack eggs into well. Mix eggs with a fork, then slowly mix in flour until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting lightly with flour if sticky, until smooth, about 5 minutes (it will be fairly stiff). Wrap in plastic; let sit until dough holds an indentation when pressed, 1-2 hours.
• Chill dough if you are not rolling it out right away. Bring to room temperature before rolling out, about 1 hour.
• Make the noodles Set pasta maker to thickest setting; dust lightly with flour. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping remaining dough wrapped in plastic as you work, flatten dough into a narrow rectangle (no wider than mouth of machine); pass through rollers . Fold dough as needed to fit and run through again. Repeat without folding, adjusting machine to thinner settings after every pass and dusting with flour if sticky, until pasta sheet is 1/16" thick (setting 8 on most machines). Place pasta sheets on a lightly floured surface and cut crosswise into 16 8"-long noodles.
• If making noodles ahead, stack on a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper between each layer. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.
• Make the béchamel Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in warm milk, 1/2-cupful at a time. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until the consistency of cream, 8-10 minutes; add nutmeg and season with salt. Remove from heat, transfer to a medium bowl, and press plastic wrap directly onto surface; let cool slightly. Chill if not using right away.
• Day of
• Reheat the sauces Combine Bolognese sauce and remaining 1 cup broth in a large saucepan over medium heat, and heat until sauce is warmed through.
• Meanwhile, if you made the béchamel ahead of time, heat in a medium saucepan over low heat just until warmed through (you don't want to let it boil).
• Cook the noodles Working in batches, cook fresh lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until just softened, about 10 seconds. Remove carefully with tongs and transfer to a large bowl of ice water; let cool. Drain noodles and stack on a baking sheet, with paper towels between each layer, making sure noodles don't touch (they'll stick together).
• Assemble the lasagna Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9" baking dish with butter.
• Spread 1/4 cup béchamel in the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles, spread over a scant 3/4 cup Bolognese sauce, then 1/2 cup béchamel, and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat process 7 more times, starting with noodles and ending with Parmesan, for a total of 8 layers. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake lasagna until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 50-60 minutes. Let lasagna sit 45 minutes before serving.
• Lasagna can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours before baking. Cook, covered with foil until the last 20 minutes, then finish cooking uncovered.

SMALLER LASAGNA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook noodles and drain.
• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet for a few minutes then add ground beef, oregano, basil salt and pepper and cook until beef is browned, breaking up any clumped meat. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, making sure sauce doesn't get too thick.
• In a small bowl, whisk together a lightly beaten egg with ricotta and parmesan.
• In the bottom of a loaf pan, place about 1 cup meat sauce across the bottom. Top with two noodles, then top with half of the remaining meat sauce mixture. Top with another two noodles and the ricotta mixture. Top with the last two noodles and the remaining sauce. Layer mozzarella slices across the top.
• Loosely tent pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake another ten minutes, allowing cheese to brown.
• Let sit for about 10-15 minutes before you cut into it.

TRADITIONAL LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Bring sauce to room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Chill filling until ready to assemble lasagna.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 11-by-14-by-3-inch lasagna baking pan. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add olive oil and remaining tablespoon of salt. One at a time, add lasagna noodles; cook until very al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer's instructions. Remove noodles with tongs; drain in a colander.
• Spread about 3 cups of sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place a single layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping them slightly. Spread about 2 cups sauce over the noodles and about half the ricotta filling mixture over the sauce.
• Top with a layer of lasagna noodles, again slightly overlapping them. Repeat with more sauce and remaining ricotta filling mixture. Top with a final layer of lasagna noodles. Spread a layer of sauce over the noodles, and finish with a layer of sliced mozzarella rounds.
• Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, at least 1 hour. Cover with aluminum foil if the cheese starts to brown too early. Let the lasagna stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Make the Meat Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion, and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef and pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Make the Lasagna Dough: In a food processor, combine flour, eggs, oil, and salt. Process until it forms a soft, but not sticky dough. If dough is sticky, it may be necessary to add a little more flour. Wrap dough with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Make the Bechamel Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine butter and flour. Stir in nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Place over medium heat and stir in milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• To assemble: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a pasta machine, roll dough into long sheets as thin as possible. Let sheets dry for a few minutes. Then cut them into sections, each about 13 inches long. Add oil and lasagna sheets to boiling water. Cook, stirring gently to prevent them from sticking to one another, for about 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold running water. Lay sheets out on a clean kitchen towel, and set aside until ready to use. Be sure not to let them stand for more than 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon a little of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and spread to coat. Then, layer with lasagna sheets, one-sixth of the bechamel sauce, one-sixth of the meat sauce, and a little Parmesan. Repeat the layers five more times. Top with remaining Parmesan and pieces of butter. Bake until cheese begins to turn golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

LASAGNA BAKE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, brown meat with onions and garlic in large nonstick skillet. Add tomatoes and cream cheese spread; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture just comes to boil. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese; stir until melted.
• Drain noodles. Spoon 1/3 cup spinach mixture into each of 2 (2-cup) ramekins; top with 1 noodle, letting excess noodle extend over rim of ramekin. Top each with 1/3 cup spinach mixture; fold noodle back over dish to cover filling. Repeat until all filling is folded between noodle layers; top with remaining shredded cheese.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

LASAGNA WITH TWO SAUCES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook meat, onion, garlic and oregano in oil until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the wine or broth. Simmer, uncovered, until wine is almost completely reduced. Add tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally., Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Add cream cheese and seasonings. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth and thickened., In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, spread 1 cup meat sauce. Layer with 5 noodles, a third each cream cheese and meat sauces and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese sauce, meat sauce and Parmesan cheese. (Pan will be full.) Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake for 15 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before cutting.

LASAGNA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan and parsley.
• Place 2 noodles in bottom of 9x5-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray, trimming noodles as necessary to fit; reserve trimmings. Cover noodles with layers of 1/4 each of the pasta sauce, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Repeat all layers twice. Top with layers of the reserved noodle trimmings, remaining sauce, ricotta mixture and mozzarella.
• Bake 30 min. or until heated through. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.