Lasagne alla Bolognese

Make the spinach pasta dough: Mound the 00 flour on a clean wooden board and make a wide well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, add the finely chopped spinach and the pinch of salt. Using a fork, begin beating the eggs and spinach together, gradually drawing flour in from the inner walls of the well. Once a shaggy dough forms, use your hands to bring everything together into a ball.

Knead the spinach pasta dough firmly for 10 minutes, pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back, rotating 90 degrees, and repeating. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Roll the pasta: Divide the dough into 4 portions. Working with one portion at a time (keep the rest covered), use a rolling pin or pasta machine to roll the dough to a thickness of approximately 1–2mm (pasta machine setting 5–6 of 9). Cut into sheets roughly 10cm x 20cm (4 x 8 inches). Lay them on a lightly floured surface or clean kitchen towels and allow to dry slightly while you roll the remaining dough.

Blanch the pasta sheets: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Set a bowl of ice water nearby and lay clean kitchen towels flat on your counter. Working in batches of 4–5 sheets, cook the pasta for 30–45 seconds, then transfer immediately to the ice water bath for 30 seconds. Lift out and lay flat on the kitchen towels in a single layer to drain. Pat gently dry.

Make the béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and whisk constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste — the mixture (roux) should smell slightly nutty and look pale golden. Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking vigorously and continuously after each addition to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently, and cook for 5–7 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F / Gas Mark 5). Butter a 33cm x 23cm (13 x 9 inch) deep baking dish.

Assemble the lasagne: Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 4 tablespoons) across the bottom of the baking dish. Lay a single layer of pasta sheets over the béchamel, cutting pieces to fit if needed and overlapping them slightly. Spread a layer of ragù (about 5–6 heaping tablespoons) evenly over the pasta. Spoon and spread a layer of béchamel (about 4–5 tablespoons) over the ragù. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat these layers — pasta, ragù, béchamel, Parmigiano — until you have used all the pasta, ending with a final layer of pasta on top.

For the final top layer: spread béchamel generously over the pasta, spoon a light amount of ragù over the béchamel, sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top, and dot the surface with the small pieces of butter.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 20–25 minutes until the top is deeply golden, bubbling at the edges, and slightly crusted. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes before cutting — this resting period is essential so the layers hold together when served.

Cut into portions using a sharp knife or spatula and serve directly from the baking dish. Offer extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.