Pretty Dam Good Lasagna

By Tom421

Ingredients

• Bechamel sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups finely diced yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup Chianti or dry red wine
• 1 can (about 40 ounces) tomato sauce
• 12 lasagna noodles (your favorite brand)
• 1 container (16 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley for garnish
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from jsonline.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrot and celery and sauté until onions are translucent. Add ground pork and sirloin, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and red wine to mixture. Sauté until meat has been browned and cooked thoroughly. Reduce heat to low, add tomato sauce and simmer uncovered 25 to 30 minutes, until mixture is reduced by one-third. Once reduced, remove from heat and set aside. Remove bay leaves.

Begin preparation of lasagna noodles according to package directions. Al dente pasta works best with this recipe. When noodles are al dente, drain and run under cold water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.

Grease bottom of a 13-by-9-inch pan with vegetable oil spray or butter. Layer pasta, meat sauce, ricotta cheese mix, Parmesan and mozzarella in that order, using half of each (noodles will overlap). Repeat process with remaining ingredients.

Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Remove foil. Return to oven to bake an additional 20 minutes.

For bechamel sauce: While lasagna is cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble slightly. Add cream, milk and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring regularly, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove lasagna from oven and let sit 15 minutes. Slice lasagna into square or oblong pieces and drizzle béchamel sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley.