Lasagna with minced meat and béchamel sauce

Ingredients:

White Bolognese

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 700 g raw Italian sausage or minced meat with spices
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup lightly salted chicken broth

Béchamel

• 55 g unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2.5 cups whole milk
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan (about 130 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Assembly

• 450 g lasagna sheets
• Olive oil for greasing
• 3.5 cups grated whole milk mozzarella (about 450 g)
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. White Bolognese: Place the olive oil, thyme, garlic, celery, bay leaf, carrots, onion, and a good pinch of salt in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are completely soft and golden, about 15 minutes. If the vegetables are burning, reduce the heat.
2. Add the sausage and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Gently skim off any excess fat with a spoon.
3. Add the white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost evaporated, 6–10 minutes. Add the cream and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld, 30–40 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the sauce warm until ready to assemble.
4. Béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring, until the mixture begins to simmer but does not darken, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and occasionally scraping the sides of the pan with a spatula to prevent the sauce from burning. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, 4–5 minutes. Add the Parmesan and nutmeg and stir until the sauce is smooth. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. Keep the sauce warm over low heat until ready to assemble.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C.
7. Assembly: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna until pliable, about 4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and drizzle the noodles with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
8. Spread about 1/2 cup of Bolognese evenly over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Layer a layer of lasagna (about 4 noodles; if using long noodles, you'll need to cut some to fill in the gaps) on top of the sauce. Spread 1/2 cup of Bolognese over the noodles.
9. Spoon 1/2 cup béchamel sauce over the sauce and spread lightly with a small spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan, then top with another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining lasagna, Bolognese, béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan, layering 6 noodles and finishing with the remaining 1/2 cup béchamel sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
10. Bake until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.