Bolognese lasagna (Emilia-Romagna)

Presents: Amelia Gotti

Curated by Cristina Campassi

Dearest friends,

This is a very simple recipe that I learned from my mom.

It doesn't want to be  the recipe for lasagna bolognese par excellence, neither the best or the only one.

The ragù for me is a sweet ragù, without sausage and too strong smells, and the pasta must be green.

For the ragu '

2 packs of peeled tomatoes of 800 gr

1 kg minced beef (or 700 gr beef and 300 gr pork)

1 carrot

1 onion

1 stalk of celery

1 glass of milk

Butter

Olive oil

salt

For the bechamel

1l Milk

70 gr. Butter

70 gr. Flour

Salt, pepper, nutmeg

200 gr. Parmesan Cheese

For pasta

3 grams of flour 00

3 eggs

1 small pack of frozen Spinach

Let's start preparing the Ragu '

In a saucepan, boil the tomatoes with the carrot, celery and onion for about 45 minutes.

Brown the minced meat with a little olive oil and a nice   piece of butter. Salt the meat when it is well cooked, and when the butter and oil begin to froth, add the glass of milk and cook for another 5 minutes.

At this point you can then add the tomato sauce obtained by passing the peeled tomatoes and the smells through a vegetable mill, or you can use the minipimer much more simply.

Add another nice piece of butter and continue cooking for about 2 hours.

Bechamel

Heat the milk  without bringing it to the boil.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and, when melted, add the sifted flour, always stirring energetically with a whisk until the flour takes on a golden color. At this point, add the milk a little at a time and continue stirring until the sauce begins to thicken and reach a boil.

Turn off, season with salt and add a little pepper and nutmeg.

Preparation of the dough

Let's start by defrosting the spinach in a saucepan. When they are ready, put them in a colander to cool and lose a little water.

When they are cold, squeeze them very well to remove any remaining water and chop them very finely.

Put the flour on a pastry board and create a hollow in the center forming the typical fountain.

It is always better to keep some flour aside because in case of need you can always add it later.

Break the eggs in the hollow and start breaking them with a fork, incorporating the flour a little at a time. When the liquid part is absorbed, start kneading with your hands for about 10 minutes.

When the dough is smooth and homogeneous, we can wrap it in a transparent film.

For the final preparation of the lasagna I wait for you on ZOOM !!!!

Amelia