Lasagne alla Bolognese

Ingredients

• For the Ragù Bolognese:
• 300g (10.5 oz) coarse-ground beef (80% lean)
• 150g (5.3 oz) coarse-ground pork
• 150g (5.3 oz) pancetta, finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 150g)
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 120g)
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced (about 100g)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 30g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 150ml (2/3 cup) dry white wine
• 200ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) whole milk
• 400g (14 oz) canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For the Fresh Egg Pasta (Sfoglia Verde — Spinach):
• 300g (2 1/3 cups) 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
• 200g (7 oz) fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed very dry, and finely chopped
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• For the Béchamel (Besciamella):
• 80g (5 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 80g (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1 litre (4 1/4 cups) whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• For Assembly:
• 120g (1 1/3 cups) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• 30g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. Make the ragù: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the fat begins to render. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery (the soffritto) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until completely softened and lightly golden — do not rush this step.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef and pork to the soffritto. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until every trace of pink is gone and the meat has developed a deep brown color on the bottom of the pot. Season with the salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the white wine and stir vigorously, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the wine has fully evaporated and you can no longer smell the alcohol.
4. Pour in the warm milk, stir to combine, and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the milk is fully absorbed into the meat.
5. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and the pinch of nutmeg. Stir well, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Cook for at least 2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes, until the ragù is dense, dark, and deeply flavorful. Add a splash of water or beef broth if the pot looks dry. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.