Recipes › Pasta › Linda's Lasagna Recipe

Linda's Lasagna Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Linda's Lasagna Recipe is a traditional Italian baked pasta dish featuring layers of tender noodles, rich meat ragù, creamy béchamel sauce, and melted cheese. This classic comfort food brings together slow-cooked ground beef and pork with tomatoes and herbs for a deeply satisfying main course that serves as the centerpiece of any Italian dinner table.

Ingredients

• 500g ground beef
• 250g ground pork
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced (150g)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, finely diced (150g)
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced (100g)
• 400ml whole milk
• 40g butter
• 40g all-purpose flour
• 400g canned crushed tomatoes
• 150ml tomato paste (3 tablespoons)
• 125ml dry red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 500g fresh lasagna sheets (or dried, cooked)
• 200g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 150g fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery (the soffritto base), stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.

2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, add ground beef and pork, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it browns for 8-10 minutes until no pink remains.

3. Pour in red wine and let it simmer for 2 minutes, allowing alcohol to evaporate. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, and salt. Stir thoroughly to combine.

4. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should bubble gently and reduce, becoming deeper in color and more concentrated.

5. While ragù simmers, prepare the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a paste (roux), cooking for 2 minutes while stirring constantly.

6. Gradually pour in milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and stirring for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and black pepper.

7. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread a thin layer of ragù sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.

8. Layer lasagna sheets over the ragù, breaking sheets as needed to fit. Top with one-third of remaining ragù, then spread one-third of béchamel sauce evenly over the meat layer.

9. Repeat layering: sheets, ragù, béchamel. Continue until all ingredients are used, finishing with a final layer of pasta sheets topped with remaining béchamel and mozzarella slices, then a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

10. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling at the edges. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Substitutions

• Use ground turkey or lamb instead of beef and pork for a leaner or alternative flavor
• Substitute dairy-free béchamel made with olive oil and plant-based milk for a vegan version
• Replace all-purpose flour with chickpea flour or cornstarch for a gluten-free lasagna
• Use ricotta cheese mixed into the ragù instead of béchamel for a traditional variant

Tips

• Prepare the ragù sauce a day ahead and refrigerate; it develops deeper flavor overnight and makes assembly easier
• Do not skip the resting period after baking; it allows layers to set and makes cutting clean portions much easier
• If using dried lasagna sheets, cook them 2 minutes less than package directions so they finish cooking in the oven and remain tender rather than mushy

Lasagna alla Bolognese from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy is a celebration of layered cooking technique and quality ingredients. This dish reflects centuries of Italian culinary tradition where simple elements—meat, tomato, pasta, and cream—are transformed through patience and proper layering into an iconic comfort food.

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