Bolgnese ragu’, spinach pasta and bechamel are the secret ingredients to this flavorful lasagna created in Bologna, Emilia Romagna! Try it once and you’ll be hooked on this version of lasagna. Like most lasagnas, this recipes can be time consuming so it is suggested to make the Bolognese sauce and the pasta the day before. You can of course also use store bought pasta for convenience.
- Prep Time: 2 Hours
- Cook time: Approximately 3 Hours
- Serves: 8
- Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients for Spinach Pasta:
- 00 Flour – 1.3 cups
- Spinach – 8.8 ounces
- Eggs – 2
- Egg Yolks – 3
- Durum Wheat Semolina – 2.1/8 cups
- Butter – 1/3 cup
- Flour – 2/3 cup
- Whole Milk – 1 quart
- Salt – 1 pinch
- Nutmeg to taste
Additional Ingredients:
- Butter to taste
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – 2 1/2 cups
Directions:
Ragu’
First prepare the meat sauce. As stated prior, the sauce can be prepared the day before, allowing the flavors to develop and enhance. Any leftover ragu’ can be used for regular pasta, stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for future use. Link to recipe for Bolognese Ragu’ here.
Pasta
Homemade Spinach pasta is a key flavor element of this dish, however, ready made pasta can definitely be used if you are short on time with great results.
Prepare the spinach pasta by boiling the spinach in a covered pan with a little water until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water before pureeing the spinach in a mixer. The end result should be about 3.5 ounces. Using a pastry board, mix the semolina, 00 flour and spinach to create a volcano shape. Add the beaten eggs and yolks in the center. Knead everything together, starting from the center point to contain the eggs and continue until you have a consistent dough. Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.
Bechamel Sauce
Start by heating the milk in a saucepan without reaching a boil. In a separate pan, melt the butter, adding the flour until golden. Pour the milk into the flour and butter slowly, mixing well. Add salt and nutmeg to taste and mix until it is a bechamel texture. Transfer to a bowl covering with plastic wrap and set to the side.
After the dough has sat for about 30 minutes, cut a quarter of the piece of dough and cover the rest with plastic wrap. Flatten it on the pastry board as much as possible and using semolina flour to reduce wetness, roll the dough through the pasta machine repeatedly until it is about 0.2 inches thick. Then cut it into 12 x 8 inch rectangles. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Prepare a pot of salted water to boil. Add one sheet of pasta at a time to the pot of boiling water, cooking for only 30 seconds. Drain pasta on cloths without overlapping.
Preparing your Lasagna Bolognese
Grease a 12×8 lasagna pan. First add a thin layer of bechamel and then a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of pasta sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. Repeat until there are five layers, adding Bolognese sauce as the last layer to cover the pasta.
Sprinkle with grated cheese, add some butter and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Buon Appetito!
