Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients for the white sauce (béchamel):
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups whole milk
- 4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)
These things are optional but can make it extra creamy and delicious:
- A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan (optional)
- 1 clove minced garlic
Ingredients for the Meat Sauce:
- 1 lb Ground beef or a mix of beef and pork
- 1 large Onion (chopped)
- 28 oz. Canned crushed tomatoes (or use fresh tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Dried basil
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper – to taste
- Red pepper flakes – a pinch (optional)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- A handful of Fresh basil and/or parsley (chopped)
Ingredients for the lasagne:
- 12 sheets Lasagna noodles (cooked according to package instructions, or use no-boil noodles)
- Béchamel sauce – (the white sauce above)
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves – for layering (optional)
- 1 beaten Egg (if using ricotta)
Instructions
- Prepare the meat sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a big skillet or saucepan to start making the meat sauce
- Toss in onions and sauté until they’re translucent
- Add garlic and cook it for another minute (optional)
- Add ground beef (or any other meat) until brown
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
- Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes before finishing it with basil or parsley
- Prepare the white sauce
- Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium saucepan
- Make sure the garlic won’t turn brown in the butter as you cook it
- To make a roux and thicken the sauce, whisk in the flour until smooth and heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Heat up to medium-high and slowly pour in milk while continuing to stir to prevent lumps
- Reduce to low heat and let simmer for several minutes, seasoning with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg while stirring regularly.
- Add grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- Ricotta mix: If you choose to do this step, mix the ricotta cheese and the beaten egg together until it’s smooth, then add freshly chopped herbs and a dash of nutmeg for some more flavor
- Assembling Lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of beef sauce
- Add a single layer of lasagna noodles
- If desired, spread the white sauce (béchamel)
- Add a layer of the ricotta mix (if you decided to make the Ricotta mix)
- Adding another layer of meat sauce and sprinkling liberally with mozzarella and parmesan after the initial layer
- Repeat the layering process until all of the ingredients are gone
- top with béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan
- Tip: Add a layer of fresh basil leaves between the layers to give it more taste.
- Bake, Cool, and Serve: When you’re done building your layers, cover, and tent the dish with aluminum foil
- Bake it for 25 minutes in a preheated oven – wait until the cheese gets bubbly on the edges and golden brown in the middle
- Uncover the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes
- Take it out and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving it
Enjoy a little piece of Italy!