Lasagna
I always used to order lasagna whenever I went to Italian restaurants because I thought it was too complicated to make at home. After finishing the Mount Rainier Half Marathon, my friend and I decided to celebrate by making it together, and it turned out to be surprisingly easy—and so tasty! Now, lasagna isn’t just a restaurant dish to me, but something comforting I can enjoy anytime I want.
Ingredients
Procedure
• Bolognese sauce
- Finely chop onion, carrot, and celery.
- Cook the chopped vegetables in olive oil with garlic.
- Season ground beef and pork mix with salt and pepper, then sear on high heat until browned.
- Deglaze with red wine (300 cc) after browning.
- Add cooked vegetables to the meat.
- Add a bay leaf and simmer until the liquid reduces.
- Add canned tomatoes.
- Continue to simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust with sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Once water content is reduced, it’s ready.
• Béchamel Sauce
- Cut 40 g butter into small pieces and place in a pan over low heat.
- When melted, add 40 g all-purpose flour and mix to remove raw flour taste.
- When combined, add 500 g milk in small amounts while whisking to prevent lumps.
- Add salt and a bay leaf, then simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes while stirring.
• Assembling
- In a baking dish, put some Bolognese sauce in the bottom and layer in this order:
Lasagna sheet -> Cheese -> Bolognese sauce -> Béchamel sauce -> Repeat until the top layer is Bolognese.
- Bake in a 360°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes.
- Add a generous amount of cheese on top and broil for 5 minutes until nicely browned.
- Let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before cutting to allow flavors to settle (overnight is ideal).
- Garnish with basil if desired before serving.
Tips
- Let the lasagna rest before serving to help it slice cleanly.
- If preparing in advance, letting it rest overnight will deepen the flavor further.