Classic lasagna is one of those dishes that tell the story of Italian tradition better than any other recipe.
It is not only a rich and flavorful main course, but a true symbol of conviviality, family, and special moments shared around the table.
At my home, lasagna has always been the star of festive days, important occasions, and Sunday lunches with friends and family.
This recipe is rooted mainly in the central regions of Italy, such as Lazio and Abruzzo, where it is prepared following local variations passed down from generation to generation.
Every family has its version, its perfect balance between pasta sheets, ragù, béchamel, and cheese, but the result is always the same: a dish that pleases everyone, young and old.
My children, for example, often request it, and it’s hard to say no to a steaming baking dish of lasagna, with that golden crust on top that makes your mouth water at first sight.
When I have a bit more time, I like to prepare plenty so that I can freeze one or two trays and always have a tasty solution ready for future occasions or for those days when you have less time but don’t want to give up on good homemade food.
I’m not a big fan of pasta in general, but there are exceptions I simply can’t resist, and lasagna is one of them.
Together with cannelloni and stuffed ravioli, it represents for me the highest expression of traditional Italian cuisine, the kind that smells of home and Sunday.
This classic lasagna recipe, simple yet full of flavor, is perfect for those who want to bring an evergreen dish to the table, ideal for family lunches, holidays, or simply to indulge in a great classic of our gastronomy.
Approx. 750 kcal per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Day 6 Hours
- Portions: Lasagna for about 6 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make Classic Lasagna
- 4 medium eggs
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g semolina flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1.76 lbs mixed ground veal and pork
- 7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup béchamel sauce
- 3.5 oz mozzarella cheese
- 3 lbs 5 oz canned tomatoes for simple sauce and 1 lb 2 oz for ragù
- meat ragù made with the ground meat indicated above
- to taste salt
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- to taste nutmeg
- 1 onion
- 1 Baking Pan Lasagna Baking Pan
Preparation of Classic Lasagna
Let’s start by preparing the simple sauce by sautéing 1/2 chopped onion with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the canned tomatoes passed through a tomato mill, adjust the salt, stir, and let it cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
In another pot, prepare the meat ragù by sautéing 1/2 onion with the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the ground meat, adjust the salt, and mix well.
Add the nutmeg, add the canned tomatoes passed through a tomato mill, mix well, and let it cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
At this point, start preparing the pasta by taking a bowl and putting in the eggs, mixing a little, adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt; gradually add the flours until the dough is compact enough to place on a floured surface and continue working it by adding flour until it is not sticky.
Knead the dough well for a few minutes, then roll out the sheets with a pasta machine.
Take the pasta machine and take pieces of dough from the loaf, starting to work it with the machine (at the widest thickness) to form sheets, the last pass you will make at the machine’s thickness so that 3 holes remain exposed, but this is subjective because not all machines are the same, so you will have to adjust, and the thickness also varies from your taste.
Each sheet you make should be floured on both sides and laid out on a surface.
I recommend boiling a fairly large pot for blanching the sheets, and in the cooking water, add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the sheets from sticking during cooking.
Prepare a bowl with a colander to place one inside the other and begin blanching the sheets one at a time, cooking them for about 30 seconds, just enough to blanch them a little; then take out the first one using kitchen tongs and place it in the colander, if you cook them all together, I recommend laying them on a clean cloth.
Be very careful because the sheets are very delicate and tend to break.
Repeat the procedure for each sheet.
Be very careful because the sheets are very delicate and tend to break.
Repeat the procedure for each sheet.
Now take a baking dish where we will assemble the lasagna and start by putting about 2 tablespoons of simple sauce on the bottom and a splash of water so it doesn’t stick too much during cooking, then a layer of the necessary sheet to cover the bottom (you can cut the sheets according to the width and length of the container, as you can reuse the scraps along the way), then put a layer of meat ragù spread a bit wide, then a bit of regular sauce, a bit of béchamel, shredded mozzarella, and a light sprinkle of Parmesan.
Now make the second and third layer, or more if you want, repeating the same procedure for each layer.
When you put the last layer, top it with simple sauce and, if you wish, a bit of ragù, then cover with a layer of Parmesan.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour at 428 °F, and when you see that the lasagna is nearly cooked, uncover it and let it bake for another 10 minutes to form a bit of crust.
Once baked, take it out of the oven and wait 5 minutes before cutting it, so it has time to set and will be easier to cut.
However, you should check the cooking from time to time because ovens are not all the same.
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