Un Assaggio's Lasagna Bolognese
By: Meaghan Carey
Published: Sunday, October 4, 2015 - 2:39pm

Ingredients




¼ cup pancetta, diced
1 pound ground chuck beef
2 Italian sausages, removed from the casing
½ onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1.5 tablespoon Italian seasoning (herb blend)
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 bay leaf
100 grams full fat mozzarella, grated
100 grams white cheddar, grated
475 grams extra smooth ricotta
1 box oven ready lasagna noodles
salt and pepper

Preparation

1 Heat a deep skillet (with a lid) over medium heat, add pancetta and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and sausage, season with salt and pepper. Cook and set aside. 2 Reduce heat to medium - low and add olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the carrots and onion, stir frequently and cook until vegetables are soft. Approximately 7-10 minutes. 3 Return the meat to the pan. Mix in the Italian seasoning and tomato paste. 4 Add the red wine, increase the heat to medium and allow to reduce. 5 Add the beef stock and can of crushed tomatoes. Reduce to a simmer, add red chilli flakes, remaining Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Check seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed. 6 Let the ragu sauce simmer for 2 hours, remove from heat and cool. Remove the bay leaf before assembling the lasagna. Ragu can be made the day before. 7 To assemble the lasagna in 13x9 inch baking pan: cover bottom of pan with a thin layer of rage sauce; then one layer of noodles - overlapping the noodles; top with a thin layer of sauce and grated cheese; another layer of noodles; spread the ricotta evenly; another layer of noodles; top with thin layer of sauce and cheese; another layer of noodles; and top with remaining ragu sauce and grated cheese. 8 Bake in oven at 350F for 45 mins.

About

Lasagna Bolognese is rich and flavorful, in a way that can't be achieved by taking short cuts. The lasagna can be made vegetarian by substituting portobello mushrooms for the beef and sausage.