Cooking Classics
The Technique
Lasagna Bolognese
Lasagna Bolognese is a traditional Italian dish consisting of a Classic Bolognese or meat based tomato sauce, pasta & cheese. It isn’t difficult to prepare however it does take some planning & organization. The benefit is that the recipe yields two delicious dinners. Bake one now & freeze the other to enjoy several weeks later. Be certain to serve it with a homemade artisan bread such as Buttermilk Focaccia or Ciabatta for a real treat & brush up on pointers for simple cooking steps such as how to brown ground beef & prep garlic for recipe applications. Learn how to cook & hold lasagna noodles for layering & make sure you’re on task when preparing the sauce with my reference guide & photos to make your very best Lasagna Bolognese to date.
Lasagna Bolognese
makes 24 servings
1 recipe Classic Bolognese
12 cooked lasagna noodles
2 lbs whole milk ricotta
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 lb freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Garnishes: Crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper & parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 13 x 9-inch deep casserole dishes with cooking spray. Spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese in the bottom of each dish. Top with 3 noodles. Spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese over them. Dollop the ricotta cheese with a small ice cream disher over the sauce in both dishes using all of it. Press an indentation in the center of each dollop to flatten. Combine the salt & the next three ingredients in a ramekin. Distribute the seasonings over the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses. Top the layers in each dish with 3 noodles; spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese over them. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the surface. Cover one pan with plastic wrap. Chill up to 24 hours or freeze up to one month. Bake the remaining pan 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees with a thermometer. Let stand 15 minutes. Garnish, if desired. Slice into squares & serve.
Classic Bolognese
makes about 9 cups
1 lb 80% lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 celery ribs, diced
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup red wine
1 {6-oz} can tomato paste
2 {28-ounce} cans whole, peeled tomatoes, slightly crushed
4 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Crumble the beef & the pork in a Dutch oven & sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook the meat over Medium-High heat until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain & set aside. Sauté the onions, the carrots & the celery in the same Dutch oven in hot oil over Medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the garlic & cook until the fragrant, about 20 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the wine & allow the steam to subside. Stir in the tomato paste, the tomatoes & the water. Bring to a boil; stir in the oregano, the parsley, the crushed red pepper flakes, the black pepper & the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer the sauce on Medium-Low 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Use as directed.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Lasagna Bolognese
Invest in two dishes that may be used to prepare this classic recipe. They will prove to be invaluable particularly when entertaining. The lasagna may also be layered in deep dish foil pans, if desired. If the lasagna has been frozen, transfer it to the refrigerator & let stand 24 hours. Bake as directed adding an additional 15 minutes, if necessary.
The Technique
A few pieces of equipment will be needed in order to complete the task. Read through the recipe before beginning. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 13 x 9-inch deep casserole dishes with cooking spray. Spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese in the bottom of each dish.
No. 2
Top with 3 noodles.
No. 3
Spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese over them.
No. 4
Dollop the ricotta cheese with a small ice cream disher over the sauce in both dishes using all of it.
No. 5
Press an indentation in the center of each dollop to flatten. Combine the salt & the next three ingredients in a ramekin. Distribute the seasonings over the ricotta cheese.
No. 6
Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses. Top the layers in each dish with 3 noodles; spread 1 1/2 cups Classic Bolognese over them. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the surface. Cover one pan with plastic wrap. Chill up to 24 hours or freeze up to one month.
No. 7
Bake the remaining pan 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees with a thermometer. Let stand 15 minutes. Garnish, if desired. Slice into squares & serve.
The Tune
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