Sorry for the late reply we have been on the lake boating all weekend.
The recipe is from one of Mario Batali's cookbooks.
The recipe calls for 1 pound each ground veal and pork.
I did 1 pound each ground beef and pork instead.
I also used the lasagna noodles that you do not have to pre cooks 1st due to this place we are renting during the new house construction appliances SUCK....
Here is a google search of the recipe since I'm at work and don't have access to the cookbook.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Step 1: Making the Ragu
5 cloves garlic
2 medium onions
4 ribs celery
2 carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground pork
4 oz pancetta
6 oz tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Step 2: Making the Besciamella
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 to 2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
Directions:
Directions:
o begin the ragu, first émincé the garlic. Finely chop the onions, celery and carrots.
Next, preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and vegetables (also known as mirepoix) and let cook until translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes or so.
Gather the veal and pork. Very finely chop the pancetta or cut it into quarters and then pulse it in a food processor until ground. Once the vegetables are translucent, add all of the meat and increase the heat to high. Let the meat brown, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes.
While the meat cooks, gather white wine, milk, tomato paste and thyme. Once the meat has browned nicely, add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add the white wine, milk and fresh thyme. Stir again, scraping the bottom if needed. Let everything come just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
As the ragu cooks, remember to stir it occasionally, to prevent it from sticking or scorching. In the meantime, you can prepare the besciamella.
To make the besciamella, heat a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour to create a roux and stir until smooth. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it turns a light-golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the milk to just under a boil. Once the mixture has browned and the milk has heated, add the milk to the roux, about one cup at a time. Whisk constantly, until very smooth, bringing it back to a boil each time. Once all of the milk has been incorporated and the mixture has come back up to a gentle boil, turn the heat to low and let cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. The sauce should nicely coat the back of a spoon. Once done, remove from the heat and season with the salt and freshly-grated nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly onto the surface, to prevent a skin from forming. Leave a bit of space around the edges for the steam to escape while it cools.
The ragu should be cooked until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, however, it should still be moist. Once it is done, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Before assembling the lasagne, preheat your oven to 375º degrees Fahrenheit.
Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano into a bowl and set aside. Then gather the besciamella and give it a good stir to make sure it is nice and smooth. Have the ragu and your lasagne pan ready.
To begin assembling, spread a layer of ragu over the bottom of the pan and top with a bit of the cheese. Then add a layer of pasta. It is okay if the noodles overlap slightly. Add a thin layer of besciamella, spreading it out slightly. Add another layer of ragu. Because the pasta is so delicate and thin, you can create many layers; so, don’t worry about every spot being covered with filling. Sprinkle with the cheese and add another layer of pasta. Continue and repeat the same process, layering the noodles, besciamella, ragu and then the cheese. The last layer should be a layer of noodles topped with a generous coating of besciamella. Spread the besciamella out to cover the edges so the noodles don’t dry out during baking.
Sprinkle with a bit more cheese and bake for approximately 45 minutes. When done, the edges and top should be slightly browned and the sauces should be bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy one of the best lasagne’s you’ll ever have.
Before rolling the dough, make sure there aren’t any bits of dried dough on the rollers from last time. The rollers of the pasta machine should be clean and dry. You may want to dust them with a bit of flour, to be sure they are completely dry.
You can also prepare pasta sheets in advance and freeze them raw. Just place them onto a tray, separated by layers of parchment paper. Wrap the entire tray tightly with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Cook from frozen.
Step 7
If you are using frozen lasagna noodles, add them directly to the water without thawing.
Step 8
For this recipe, Mario suggests using a 10 × 20-inch lasagne pan, but you can use any size of baking dish. A large the baking dish will result in a lasagne with fewer layers, which will take a shorter amount of time to bake. By using a smaller baking dish, you’ll be able to create a thicker lasagne with more layers.
When assembling, don’t make each layer really thick. Less is more. These noodles are so delicate, it’s great to make more layers. Make sure you keep about 1 cup of besciamella for the top.
