Delicious traditional lasagna.
As tradition teaches in Italian families and especially Sicilian ones, the traditional lasagna with meat ragù cannot be missing at the table.
I remember that as a child it was a very fine dish, prepared for celebrations — yes, for the holidays.
We didn’t go to restaurants; traditional celebrations were held at home, we gathered 30/40 people at grandma’s and all the daughters, that is, my mother and the other aunts, prepared the holiday lunch.
And yes, the traditional lasagna could not be missing as a first course, followed by meat cutlets and potatoes, but now let’s return to our time with a glance at our past.
It’s a basically simple recipe, even if it may seem the opposite. Anyway, let’s prepare it.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Moderate
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 16 sheets Lasagna sheets
- 5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1 1/3 cups grated)
- 7 oz Mozzarella (about 1 cup shredded)
- 1.1 lb Ground beef
- 1 Onion
- 1/2 cup Red wine
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery stalk
- 1 Tomato passata (strained tomatoes)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- as needed Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Butter (about 1.4 oz)
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour (about 40 g)
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 pinch Pepper
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
Preparation
Delicious traditional lasagna.
PREPARING THE RAGÙ
Peel the carrot and trim the celery, finely chop them together with the onion and place them in a saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté for a few minutes.
Add the ground meat and brown it for a few minutes, until the meat is fairly dry.
Pour in the glass of red wine and let it evaporate for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol, then add the tomato passata, a cup of water, salt and pepper.
Let it cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, or if you have time, up to an hour. Stir occasionally and add a little more water if needed.
The ragù should not be dry.
PREPARING THE BÉCHAMEL
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat; when fully melted add the flour and whisk together.
Add the milk, the salt, the pepper and the nutmeg, increase the heat and continue whisking until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.
ASSEMBLING THE LASAGNA
Put a ladleful of ragù in a baking dish of about 12 x 8 inches and spread with some béchamel. Lay down the lasagna sheets, a few ladlefuls of ragù, cover with béchamel, add a few slices of mozzarella and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Continue until the sheets are used up — usually four sheets per layer.
Finish with a layer of sheets, ragù, béchamel and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 30 minutes.
Until the classic cheese crust forms.
Let it cool slightly and serve.
Notes
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