Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce

Prep Methods/Techniques , , ,
Cuisine
Course , , ,
Servings 9
Ingredients
    Bolognese Sauce
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced fennel
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3/4 pounds ground chuck
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Salt, or to taste
  • 1 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 4 pounds tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 bay leaves
    • Ricotta Filling
  • 2 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • Assembly
  • Cooking spray
  • 24 oven-ready lasagna sheets (about two 8-ounce packages)
  • 2 bunches swiss chard, stemmed, blanched and dried
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Method
    For the bolognese sauce:
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the ground meats, breaking them up with a spoon. Add the dried herbs, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

  2. Add the milk and simmer gently until the liquid is almost evaporated, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

  3. Add the wine and reduce until evaporated, about 20 minutes longer. Then add tomatoes, paste and remaining salt, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer gently over medium-low heat until very thick, 3 to 4 hours. Stir often to keep the sauce from sticking. Remove bay leaves and cool to room temperature.

    4. For the ricotta filling:
  4. In a processor, blend ricotta until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides, add remaining ingredients and blend another minute.
    5. Finishing the meatballs:
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch pasta (5-6 sheets at a time for 1 minute until they are just pliable. Drain and transfer to aluminum foil. 

  6. Set aside 3 cups Bolognese Sauce for serving. Spray a 13- x 10- x 2 1/2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and spread 1/2 cup Bolognese on bottom of pan.

  7. Lay 3 blanched pasta sheets side-by-side on the sauce. They should not overlap. They'll expand a little bit when the lasagna is baked. Top each sheet with a large spoon (about 3 tablespoons) of ricotta filling. Spread it over the sheets with the back of the spoon. Top with a layer of chard.

  8. Spread with 3/4 cup Bolognese on the chard, it won't totally cover. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of each cheese; repeat layering beginning with pasta then ricotta, chard, Bolognese and cheeses. Continue layering for a total of eight layers of pasta. Spread remaining ricotta over the last layer of pasta and sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

  9. Bake the lasagna uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, until filling is bubbly and cheese melts. Rest 15 minutes. Reheat the reserved sauce while the lasagna rests. Cut the lasagna using the tip of a sharp thin knife. Serve with some of the reserved sauce and more parmesan cheese.

Cook's Notes
Yield
9 servings