Green Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

To prepare green lasagna with Ragu' alla bolognese, start by preparing the sauce, which requires long cooking times. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery using a knife or mixer 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the chopped vegetables. Let them sauté over low heat for at least 20 minutes, then add the minced fresh pork pancetta 2 and minced beef 3.

Let it brown, stirring with a wooden spoon 4 to ensure even cooking and to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the meat is browned and dry, add the white wine 5 and let it evaporate completely. Then add the tomato sauce 6 and continue to mix well to combine the ingredients.

Add water 7 and let it cook for at least 2 hours: if the sauce dries out too much during cooking, add more water. However, it's important that the sauce is quite dry when the cooking is finished. Adjust the salt and pepper 8. When the sauce is about to finish cooking, add the milk 9 and continue stirring. Once the cooking is finished, turn off the heat and set aside.

Proceed to prepare the Béchamel sauce: heat the milk in a saucepan. Meanwhile, in another pan, melt the butter over low heat and, once melted, remove from heat and add the sifted flour 10. Stir vigorously with a whisk to obtain a lump-free mixture (roux) until the flour is golden. Then return the pan to the heat until it turns golden. When the milk is hot, flavor it with grated nutmeg and a pinch of salt 11. At this point, you can add it to the butter and flour mixture 12. Stir vigorously with a whisk and let it thicken over low heat: the mixture should be smooth and free of lumps. Cook the bechamel for about 5-6 minutes over low heat until it becomes creamy.

Then move on to assembling the lasagna: take a rectangular baking dish measuring 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. Spread a thin layer of bechamel evenly over the entire surface of the baking dish 13, then lay down the green lasagna sheets 14 and pour a thin layer of bechamel 15.

Distribute the Bolognese sauce 16 and grated cheese 17. Then create another layer of lasagna, this time laying them in the opposite direction to the first layer so they are crisscrossed 18.

Repeat this until you have 6 layers, finishing with plenty of grated cheese (19-20). Once done 21, bake in a preheated static oven at 390°F for about 25 minutes (or in a fan oven at 355°F for 15 minutes): the lasagna will be ready when you see a light golden crust on the surface. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving and enjoying your green lasagna with Bolognese sauce 21!