Difficulty Level: Moderate
Total Time: 2.5 hours
Serving Size: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
Easy Bolognese Sauce:
1 lb. ground sirloin beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper for seasoning
Mornay Sauce:
2 tbsp. salted butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Easy Marinara Sauce:
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 sprig basil
Lasagna:
10 fresh pasta sheets, roughly 9 x 12 inches
3 cups Bolognese sauce
1 cup Mornay sauce
3 cups whole milk mozzarella, shredded
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
2 cups marinara sauce
2 tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
Tip: To reduce cooking time, use store bought marinara and Bolognese sauce. The marinara can be jarred, but make sure the Bolognese sauce is fresh - you want a somewhat thick, meaty consistency for the lasagna.
Directions:
Easy Bolognese Sauce (can be made a day ahead):
Add the ground sirloin to a large heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes until fully cooked, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the minced garlic and let cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the red wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and stir in the nutmeg and heavy cream. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to let cool.
Mornay Sauce (can be made a day ahead):
In a small pot over low heat, melt butter and stir in flour. Once a thick paste-like texture has developed, slowly whisk in the milk. Once the mixture has thickened, whisk in the grated Parmigiano. Set aside to let cool.
Easy Marinara Sauce (can be made a day ahead):
Add olive oil to a saucepan over low heat. Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and a sprig of basil. Stir and then let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add more salt to taste.
Lasagna:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add plenty of salt. Drop in the lasagna sheets for about 1-2 minutes until al dente. Remove from the pot and place on a wire rack over a baking sheet to cool. Blot with a paper towel to dry.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce across the bottom of a 9 x 13 in. rectangular baking dish. Add more if needed to fully cover the bottom of the dish. Place the first pasta sheet over the marinara sauce. Spread the Bolognese sauce on top of the pasta sheet. Place another pasta sheet on top and spread the Mornay sauce over the pasta sheet and then sprinkle shredded mozzarella and Parmigiano on top. Repeat this process five more times until you’ve used all of your pasta sheets. For the final layer, spread only the Mornay sauce on top along with grated Parmigiano.
Bake the lasagna for 20 minutes and then place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the Mornay sauce on top begins to brown and bubble. Remove from the oven and cut into 6 pieces.
Place two slices of lasagna, one on top of the other, onto a plate to create a giant 20 layer piece of lasagna. Top with any leftover Bolognese or marinara sauce, Parmigiano and parsley.