Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese

This lasagne verdi is the ultimate, featuring homemade spinach pasta layered with a rich, flavorful meat and vegetable ragù and velvety béchamel sauce.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 50 mins
• Calories: 389 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 7 ounces ground beef
• 2 cups vegetable broth, or more as needed
• 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
• 1 (3 ounce) package pancetta, minced
• 0.25 cup water
• 0.125 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.33333334326744 cup unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup diced celery
• 0.5 cup dry red wine
• 0.5 cup diced carrot
• 0.5 cup diced yellow onion
• 1.5 cups plain tomato sauce
• 0.5 (8 ounce) package frozen spinach
• 0.5 (16 ounce) package gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 0.33333334326744 cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Start preparing ragù by sautéeing pancetta in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until fat renders, 1 to 2 minutes. Add carrot, celery, onion, and oil. Cook, stirring until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef and pork. Cook while mashing meat into small pieces until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Add wine and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup broth and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low, and partially cover the pot to allow steam to escape. Simmer ragù, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Add 1 more cup of broth to ragù. Continue simmering, stirring often, until very thick, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add more broth only if necessary; ragù should drop, not run, off a spoon. Set aside.

Step 5

Start preparing pasta after ragù is cooked. Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add spinach, cover, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring gently, until spinach is heated through. Remove from heat, leave covered, and let cool.

Step 6

Drain spinach in a mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing it down with a fork to squeeze out as much water as possible; reserve the liquid. Purée spinach in a blender until smooth.

Step 7

Sift flour into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add eggs, spinach, and about 1 tablespoon of the reserved spinach cooking liquid. Mix together by hand or using the dough hook in a stand mixer, adding more liquid if needed, until dough becomes a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 8

Taste the ragù and season with salt. Remove from heat, add milk, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.

Step 9

Divide pasta dough into 4 equal pieces. Use a pasta machine or rolling pin dusted with flour to roll pasta into 1/16-inch thick sheets. Lay sheets on clean dish towels to help them dry. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Step 10

Meanwhile, start béchamel sauce by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow to brown or burn. Add flour and whisk constantly until golden. Add 1/2 cup milk, whisking constantly. Repeat with remaining milk. Simmer until béchamel is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt.

Step 11

Spread a bit of the ragù on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of pasta. Top with a spoonful of ragù and béchamel. Add a spoonful of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Top with another layer of pasta. Add more ragù, béchamel, and cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with a layer of pasta, béchamel, and cheese.

Step 12

Bake in the preheated oven until the ragù is bubbling and the cheese has browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let lasagne rest for 10 or 15 minutes at room temperature before slicing.