'Al forno' in Italian means anything baked in the oven, and lasagne is the most famous and well-loved 'pasta al forno' of them all. Traditionally served on Sundays, Italian women would take their assembled lasagne to the local bakery to cook in the bread ovens in readiness for a large family lunch. Since it is always best prepared a day before, it makes fantastic and relaxing party food with little work for the cook on the actual day. The bolognese sauce can be made well in advance and frozen, so you only need to defrost it, assemble your lasagne the day before, then pop it in the oven before the guests arrive.
Classic 'lasagne alla bolognese' is meant to be dryish, with thin layers of delicate pasta and a glorious crispy top. Never overload it with meat sauce. Alternating thin layers of bolognese sauce with creamy bechamel should keep it moist without getting slushy. In Bologna, lasagne is made with fresh egg pasta sheets tinted green with nettles or spinach. It's a nice touch if you have the time to make your own fresh pasta, however pre-prepared sheets are fine and directions are given below for the use of both fresh or dried sheets.
Ingredients
- 1 full quantity Authentic Bolognese Sauce
- 500g (1 lb) fresh lasagne sheets OR 350g (11oz) dried lasagne sheets
- 250g (8oz) mozzarella, coarsely grated
- 200g (7oz) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 100g butter cut into small cubes (optional)
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 750ml (25 fl oz) milk
- 90g (3 oz) unsalted butter
- 60g (2 oz) plain flour
- Salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
Make the Bechamel Sauce
- Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Stir the flour in quickly with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps, then keep stirring for 2 minutes to completely cook the flour before turning off the heat.
- Whisk in the milk, blending well, then return the stove to medium heat and keep whisking as the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Allow the sauce to simmer for another few minutes as you stir continuously, before removing it from the heat and adding the nutmeg and salt to taste.
Cook the Lasagne Sheets
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagne sheets. Dried pasta sheets should be cooked to barely al dente and fresh pasta sheets should be only just cooked through.
Assemble the Lasagne
- Have ready the bolognese meat sauce, bechamel sauce, pasta sheets, chopped butter and grated cheeses.
- Butter a large baking dish and ladle in enough bechamel to spread a thin layer over the base. Add a layer of pasta sheets, then another thin layer of bechamel. Now spread a thin layer of the meat sauce over the bechamel, then scatter it with some of the grated cheeses. Follow this with a new layer of pasta.
- Keep layering in this order (pasta, bechamel, meat sauce, grated cheese, pasta), keeping approximately 180ml (6 fl oz) of bechamel aside to finish with after the final layer of pasta has been laid. Dot the bechamel topping with the cubes of butter and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheeses.
- If possible, cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to meld and the layers to settle. If not, you can proceed to baking straight away.
Baking the Lasagne
- If your lasagne has been refrigerated or frozen, take it out early enough for it to return to room temperature before putting it in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the lasagne for about 50 minutes until the top is crispy and golden. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before serving.
Having friends over for dinner? Bring the lasagne to the table and allow guests to serve themselves. A few baskets of freshly sliced bread, a crisp green salad and perhaps a few plates of antipasti will complete a delicious and informal northern Italian dinner you can enjoy with ease.
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