Italy · Pasta & noodles
Lasagne alla bolognese.
Thin pasta, slow-cooked ragù, silky béchamel and Parmigiano. No ricotta, no mozzarella: this is the Bologna way.
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The story of lasagne.
Lasagne are among the oldest pasta dishes in Italy, but the version the world knows best comes from Bologna: thin sheets of egg pasta, traditionally green with spinach, layered with ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Italian-American lasagna, with ricotta and mozzarella, is a different and delicious dish. The Bologna version is lighter and more elegant, and the secret is many thin layers.
Origin: Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Where to find the ingredients in the US.
- Pasta: fresh lasagna sheets are sold in the refrigerated section; no-boil dried sheets work too.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: buy a wedge and grate it yourself.
- Ragù: make it the day before, it is even better.
Three steps. That’s it.
What each stage should look like.
Step 1
Make the béchamel.
Cook butter and flour, then whisk in hot milk until smooth and thick.
Step 2
Build the layers.
Alternate pasta, ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano, five or six times.
Step 3
Bake and rest.
Bake until golden and bubbling, then rest 15 minutes before cutting.
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Recipe
Lasagne alla bolognese.
Prep 40 min · Cook 35 min · Total 1 h 15 min
Ingredients
- ragù alla bolognese, our recipe (about 3½ cups / 800 g)
- fresh lasagna sheets, preferably spinach
- Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- whole milk, for the béchamel
- unsalted butter, for the béchamel
- all-purpose flour, for the béchamel
- nutmeg, freshly grated
- salt
Instructions
- Make the béchamel: warm the milk. In a saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the hot milk a little at a time, whisking, and cook for 8–10 minutes until thick. Season with salt and nutmeg.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). If using dried sheets that need boiling, cook them briefly and lay them on a clean towel.
- Spread a little béchamel and ragù in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add a layer of pasta, then ragù, béchamel and a sprinkle of Parmigiano. Repeat for five or six layers.
- Finish with béchamel, a generous layer of Parmigiano and a few small pieces of butter.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Sources consulted: Gambero Rosso. Our own text, with US and metric measurements.
What you’ll need.
9×13-inch baking dish.
Ceramic or enameled cast iron for even baking.
Balloon whisk.
For a lump-free béchamel.
Ragù alla bolognese.
Make our recipe a day ahead.
