Lasagne Bolognese is the less cheesy cousin of the typical American lasagna. Made with Bechemel sauce instead of ricotta, the rich meaty flavors shine through.

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

Lasagna is a wide-noodle layered casserole with roots that go may back to Ancient Greece, though most of us know it best as an Italian dish. Here in America, you’re likely to find a cheese-laden tomato, mozzarella and ricotta-based lasagna that most closely resembles the type you would find in the Naples region in Italy.

When my friend Lisa is in town from Seattle, we often have her and her sister over for a post-football evening of lasagna and board games. I usually make a “traditional” Neapolitan lasagna with ricotta and mozzarella, but this time I felt like changing it up a little. Instead of Naples, we headed north to Bologna for inspiration.

Lasagne Bolognese, while certainly not a light dish, has significantly less cheese and a more subtle (and meaty) flavor profile. I made this for game night on Saturday, and Lisa has asked me to make it every time she comes now, though I suspect that this might also have something to do with her superstitious nature. If, in her mind, my Lasagne Bolognese can contribute to another impressive Michigan win, I will be happy to oblige.

Lasagne Bolognese (adapted from “Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian”)

Bolognese Sauce

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
• 1 rib celery, trimmed and minced
• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, and minced
• 2 ounces pancetta finely chopped
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pound ground pork
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1 cup beef or chicken broth
• 1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomato puree

1. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft and translucent but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes more. Add pancetta and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add ground chuck and ground pork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up meat with the back of the spoon, until just cooked and still a little pink, about 5 minutes more. (To keep meat tender, do not fry or brown.)

2. Add wine to pot and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add hot milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until milk has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat broth and tomato purée together in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot, then add to meat mixture in pot. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Italian-Style Bechamel Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter


• 4 tablespoons sifted flour


• 2 cups hot milk


• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 1/2 minutes (do not allow to brown).

2. Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until sauce is the consistency of thick cream, about 15 minutes.

Lasagne

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 package dried or fresh lasagna noodles (spinach lasagna works great for this recipe)
• 5 cups Bolognese Meat Sauce
• 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 2 cups Italian-Style Bechamel Sauce
• 2 ounces mozzarella, shredded

1. Set oven rack in top third of oven, then preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9×12-inch baking dish with butter and set aside. If you are using dried lasagna noodles, cook them according to the instructions.

2. Line bottom of prepared baking dish with a layer of pasta, trimming sheets with a knife so that they fit in 1 even layer (patch if necessary). Spread evenly with about 1 cup of the meat sauce, then sprinkle lightly with some of the parmigiano. Add another layer of pasta, evenly spread 1 cup of the bechamel sauce on pasta, then sprinkle lightly with parmigiano. Repeat layers (you will have 3 layers of meat sauce and 2 of bechamel), ending with meat sauce and parmigiano. Reserve any extra meat sauce for another use. Top the lasagna with the shredded mozzarella.

3. Bake lasagna for 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and cook until lasagna is bubbling around the edges and browned on top, 5-7 minutes more. Do not overcook. Allow lasagna to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Jessica Webster leads the Food section for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.