Homemade Lasagna
Homemade Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Bolognese Sauce
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pounds mixed ground pork, beef & veal
- 32 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4.5 ounces tomato paste, 1 tube
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 pecorino rind
- 1 bundle fresh rosemary & thyme
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- to taste fresh basil
For the Ricotta Filling
- 2 pounds ricotta
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
For the Pasta
- 2 pounds lasagna noodles
For Assembly and Topping
- as needed Pecorino cheese, freshly grated, for layering and topping
- as needed mozzarella cheese, shredded, for layering
- as needed mozzarella cheese, sliced, for the top layer
- as needed fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Bolognese Sauce: In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped carrots, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions, and 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Cook the vegetables (soffritto) until they are soft, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a separate large pot or a clean pot, brown 3 pounds of mixed ground pork, beef & veal over medium-high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste, breaking it down as it cooks. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Once the meat is browned, add the cooked soffritto (carrots, onions, celery) back into the pot with the meat. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add 1 tube (4.5 ounces) of tomato paste to the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix thoroughly until the tomato paste is well incorporated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Pour in 3/4 cup of white wine and stir, allowing it to simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add 32 ounces of crushed tomatoes and 3/4 cup of chicken stock. Stir to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Add 1 pecorino rind, a bundle of fresh rosemary & thyme, and fresh basil leaves to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Cover the pot with a lid and let the Bolognese sauce cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 1 hour of cooking, add 3/4 cup of milk and stir it into the sauce. Continue cooking for the remaining time.
⏱️ 120 min
- 10
Prepare the Ricotta Filling: In a medium bowl, combine 2 pounds of ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Prepare the Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 2 pounds of lasagna noodles and cook them about halfway, according to package directions for al dente, but slightly undercooked. This typically takes 4-5 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
Carefully remove the partially cooked noodles from the water using tongs and lay them out on a baking sheet or similar surface, ensuring they don't stick together. You may need to do this in batches.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread a ladle of Bolognese sauce at the bottom of a large baking pan (approximately 9x13 inches).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375
- 14
Lay the prepared lasagna pasta noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping them to cover the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Spread another layer of Bolognese sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Pecorino cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 16
Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta filling over the Pecorino. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 3 min
- 17
Repeat this layering process (pasta, Bolognese, Pecorino, ricotta, shredded mozzarella) for a total of 6 layers, or until you run out of ingredients, ending with a pasta layer.
⏱️ 10 min
- 18
For the top layer, finish with a generous amount of Bolognese sauce, freshly grated Pecorino, and cover entirely with sliced mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 3 min
- 19
Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven at 375°F for 70 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown.
⏱️ 70 min•🌡️ 375
- 20
Once out of the oven, garnish the top with fresh parsley. Let the lasagna set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to firm up and prevents it from falling apart.
⏱️ 30 min
- 21
Serve with an additional ladle of Bolognese sauce, freshly grated Pecorino, and a sprig of fresh basil for presentation, if desired.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Homemade Lasagna
For the Bolognese Sauce
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pounds mixed ground pork, beef & veal
- 32 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4.5 ounces tomato paste, 1 tube
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 pecorino rind
- 1 bundle fresh rosemary & thyme
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- to taste fresh basil
For the Ricotta Filling
- 2 pounds ricotta
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
For the Pasta
- 2 pounds lasagna noodles
For Assembly and Topping
- as needed Pecorino cheese, freshly grated, for layering and topping
- as needed mozzarella cheese, shredded, for layering
- as needed mozzarella cheese, sliced, for the top layer
- as needed fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Bolognese Sauce: In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped carrots, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions, and 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Cook the vegetables (soffritto) until they are soft, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a separate large pot or a clean pot, brown 3 pounds of mixed ground pork, beef & veal over medium-high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste, breaking it down as it cooks. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Once the meat is browned, add the cooked soffritto (carrots, onions, celery) back into the pot with the meat. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add 1 tube (4.5 ounces) of tomato paste to the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix thoroughly until the tomato paste is well incorporated.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Pour in 3/4 cup of white wine and stir, allowing it to simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add 32 ounces of crushed tomatoes and 3/4 cup of chicken stock. Stir to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Add 1 pecorino rind, a bundle of fresh rosemary & thyme, and fresh basil leaves to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Cover the pot with a lid and let the Bolognese sauce cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 1 hour of cooking, add 3/4 cup of milk and stir it into the sauce. Continue cooking for the remaining time.
⏱️ 120 min - 10
Prepare the Ricotta Filling: In a medium bowl, combine 2 pounds of ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Prepare the Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 2 pounds of lasagna noodles and cook them about halfway, according to package directions for al dente, but slightly undercooked. This typically takes 4-5 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
Carefully remove the partially cooked noodles from the water using tongs and lay them out on a baking sheet or similar surface, ensuring they don't stick together. You may need to do this in batches.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Assemble the Lasagna: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread a ladle of Bolognese sauce at the bottom of a large baking pan (approximately 9x13 inches).
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 375 - 14
Lay the prepared lasagna pasta noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping them to cover the bottom of the pan.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Spread another layer of Bolognese sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Pecorino cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 16
Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta filling over the Pecorino. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 3 min - 17
Repeat this layering process (pasta, Bolognese, Pecorino, ricotta, shredded mozzarella) for a total of 6 layers, or until you run out of ingredients, ending with a pasta layer.
⏱️ 10 min - 18
For the top layer, finish with a generous amount of Bolognese sauce, freshly grated Pecorino, and cover entirely with sliced mozzarella cheese.
⏱️ 3 min - 19
Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven at 375°F for 70 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown.
⏱️ 70 min•🌡️ 375 - 20
Once out of the oven, garnish the top with fresh parsley. Let the lasagna set for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to firm up and prevents it from falling apart.
⏱️ 30 min - 21
Serve with an additional ladle of Bolognese sauce, freshly grated Pecorino, and a sprig of fresh basil for presentation, if desired.
⏱️ 2 min