Tage’s Ultimate Lasagne

Instructions

Start by making the soffritto: Finely chop the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and chili. Sauté in a pan over medium heat with a little olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Add the ground beef and brown together with the soffritto. Make a space in the pan and add the tomato paste, allowing it to cook slightly in the pan. This removes the raw sharpness of the paste. Add about one tablespoon of dried basil and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano.

Add the red wine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes so the alcohol evaporates. Then add the diced tomatoes and stock. Lower the heat and stir occasionally. Let it simmer for about 2 hours until the liquid has reduced and the flavors have developed. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the pasta: Knead 300 g flour and 3 eggs together with your fingers to form a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Make the bechamel sauce following the traditional recipe with milk, butter, flour, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, white pepper, salt, and nutmeg.

Roll out the pasta with a pasta machine or rolling pin. If using a pasta machine, start on the lowest setting with about half the dough. Roll it through once, fold it in half, and repeat a couple of times. Then increase the setting one step at a time until the pasta is thin enough.

Add a little olive oil to the bottom of an oven-safe dish. Start with a layer of pasta, then bolognese sauce, then béchamel sauce. Repeat the layers once or twice depending on the size of the dish.

On the top layer, add grated cheese (Jarlsberg and parmesan in a 70/30 ratio).

Bake the lasagne in a preheated oven at 225°C in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes.

Let the lasagne rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with garlic baguettes and a fresh salad on the side.