Recipe · Main course
Lasagne al forno – with ragù and béchamel
Lasagne al forno is the festive dish of many Italian families: layers of pasta, meat sauce and béchamel, baked golden in the oven. It prepares well ahead and often tastes even better the next day.
Preparation
- Finely dice the onion and carrot. Heat the olive oil in a pot and cook the vegetables over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the minced meat and brown it until crumbly and coloured.
- Fry the tomato paste briefly, crush the tomatoes by hand and add them, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 35–40 minutes until the ragù is thick. The meat must be cooked through.
- For the béchamel, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Gradually add the milk while stirring and simmer for 5–8 minutes until creamy. Season with nutmeg and salt.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top and bottom heat). Spread a thin layer of béchamel in a baking dish.
- Layer lasagne sheets, ragù, béchamel and a little Parmigiano alternately. Finish with béchamel and Parmigiano. If the packet says no pre-cooking is needed, do not pre-cook the sheets and cover each layer well with sauce.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is golden and the lasagne is hot in the middle. Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Simmer the ragù long: The longer it cooks over low heat, the rounder the flavour. If it gets too dry, add a splash of water.
- Not too dry: The sheets must be covered with sauce or they stay hard. Use plenty of sauce between the layers.
- Prepare ahead and store: Assembled, the lasagne can be kept covered in the fridge until the next day. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and reheat until hot all the way through.
- Handle minced meat hygienically: Chill raw minced meat quickly, clean hands and board thoroughly afterwards and cook the ragù through.
- Note: The lasagne contains gluten and milk, and fresh lasagne sheets often contain egg too.
Useful extras
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San Marzano tomatoes (PDO)
The main ingredient. Look for the PDO seal and the ingredient list.
Extra virgin olive oil
For finishing at the table. Dark glass and a harvest date are good indicators.
Baking dish (about 30 × 20 cm)
For 4–6 servings, deep sides and ovenproof. Ceramic holds the heat well.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pre-cook the lasagne sheets?
Only if the packet says so. With no-pre-cook sheets there must be enough sauce between the layers for them to cook.
Can I freeze lasagne?
Yes. Cool it, freeze in portions and thaw overnight in the fridge. Then reheat until hot all the way through.
Why is my lasagne watery?
Usually the ragù was too thin or the béchamel too runny. Reduce the ragù and let the lasagne rest after baking.
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